Andy Williams made famous the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
But what do you do at Christmas if it is not the most wonderful time for you this year? Maybe you’ve experienced the death of a loved one this year and this Christmas is going to be vastly different. What do you do if you’ve gone through a divorce and you find your world totally changed? Or could it be that you are like other military families with a loved in a distant land such as Iraq or in Afghanistan? When fresh memories, confusion, and painful change are ushered into your life through difficult circumstances, even hearing the title of the song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” reminds you of the Silent Nights in which you currently find yourself.
Have you ever experienced that gut wrenching moment when your dream becomes a nightmare and you find yourself in a position you never wanted? We all have! Have you ever asked “Why?” as you looked at the shattered remains of your plans and dreams? We all have! This morning we can learn much through a man named Joseph. He saw all his dreams fall into a million pieces at his feet. What happened in his life is worthy of note. As we look at Joseph’s Silent Nights in Matthew 1:18–24, may we find encouragement in the midst of our Silent Nights.