當天使加百列向馬利亞顯現，後來又出現於牧羊人的身旁，並帶來關乎世界的好消息的時候（路加福音1章26-27節，2章10節） ，對這位年輕的女孩來說，這真是個好消息嗎？也許馬利亞自忖：我怎樣向家人解釋我懷孕的事呢？我的未婚夫約瑟會取消婚約嗎？村裡的人會怎麼說？就算我能保得住性命，成為單親媽媽要怎樣存活？

當約瑟得知馬利亞懷孕的時候，覺得很煩惱。他有三個選擇：勇往直前履行婚約；或公開把她休掉，並讓她被公眾鄙視；或靜悄悄地取消婚約。約瑟選擇了第三個，但是上帝干預這事。祂在夢中告訴約瑟：「不要怕，只管娶過你的妻子馬利亞來，因她所懷的孕是從聖靈來的。」（馬太福音1章20節）

對馬利亞與約瑟而言，即使他們將面對難以想像的情緒壓力，但他們仍然順服上帝的帶領，因此正式掀開了聖誕節的序幕。他們將自己交託給上帝，為我們展示了約翰一書2章5節所言：「凡遵守主道的，愛上帝的心在他裡面實在是完全的。」

當我們與上帝同行時，願上帝的愛在這個聖誕佳節，甚至每一天，都充滿我們的心。

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and then to shepherds with good news for the world (Luke 1:26-27; 2:10), was it good news to this teenage girl? Perhaps Mary was thinking: How do I explain my pregnancy to my family? Will my fiancé Joseph call off the betrothal? What will the townspeople say? Even if my life is spared, how will I survive as a mother all alone?

When Joseph learned about Mary’s pregnancy, he was troubled. He had three options. Go ahead with the marriage, divorce her publicly and allow her to be publicly scorned, or break off the engagement quietly. Joseph chose option three, but God intervened. He told Joseph in a dream, “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 1:20).

For Mary and Joseph, Christmas began with submitting themselves to God in spite of the unthinkable emotional challenges before them. They entrusted themselves to God and in doing so demonstrated for us the promise of 1 John 2:5: “If anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them.”

May God’s love fill our hearts this Christmas season—and every day—as we walk with Him.