Life Matters - December 21, 2022
Espousal, in ancient Jewish tradition of several thousand years ago and still found among Jews today, is that period of time between when a young lady, usually in her teen years, was “spoken for” by her man, and the day of the wedding. Espousal could be a period of years depending on the ages of the couple but the commitment between the two was fully understood. It was understood by the two of them. He could relax inside while he got busy on the outside, always preparing, with anticipation, for the day when he could bring his willing and committed bride home to the house he had prepared for her. She could relax inside while she busied herself preparing those things that help make a house a home, knowing that she had an espoused husband whom she knew and trusted to someday come calling for her. Espousal was a commitment so deep that it was understood to be binding. So much so that a parting could be scandalous and especially so when fornication was involved.
Though living apart, the couple together put a lot of time and energy into their future with each other. Together, but apart, they labored and dreamed, preparing a house, preparing a home.
Imagine the disappointment then, when one or the other was found to be unfaithful. Such disappointment settled upon a young Jew whose name was Joseph when he discovered that Mary, the young lady espoused to be his wife was “found with child,” their elegant way of saying what we not so elegantly refer to as “pregnant.” “Then Joseph, her husband, (note the “husband” commitment) being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.” Until God communicated with him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS, for he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:19-21)
Over 2,000 years later, Christmas continues to be about a baby born in Bethlehem. A virgin who gave birth to a baby. Think of it! A virgin! For a virgin to “be with child” and then deliver a baby is a biological impossibility. But an angel had told Mary how she would conceive through a supernatural event. “And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Then the angel informed Mary that her cousin, Elizabeth, was also with child, was even now in her sixth month and was to bear a son. Mary eagerly hastened to see and visit Elizabeth, to talk of these exciting events that God had blessed them both with, these special little boys they were both to give birth to. When she entered the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth, Mary saluted her mother-to-be cousin, and Elizabeth responded in a loud voice of blessing and said, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”
Think of it! Elizabeth was still in her second trimester and yet the baby in her womb heard and recognized Mary’s voice. And leaped in the womb for joy! Granted, there were some things going on in the spirit realm here, but I became convinced, too late for our own babies, that papa’s voice can be heard by his baby in its mama’s womb and baby can learn to love the sound of his voice as he speaks to his little one. Life has been a lot of fun, but this is one of those things I would do differently – I would speak to our babies in the womb – if I were to do life over. But I’m very much okay with not doing a “do-over.” I might mess up worse than I did the first time. And I/we have messed up at times. Any good in our lives and in the lives of our children are supernatural. It is the grace of God. The original spirit of the Christmas story. Life Matters!
~Emanuel Lapp