Matthew chapter 1, verse 18 in the Bible reads “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly… An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph… do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’”
On the night when Jesus was born, we could wonder if Joseph ever prayed, “Lord, this all seems so… bizarre. The angel you sent nine months ago? Any chance you could send another? If not an angel, maybe another messenger? Some company would be nice. Even a shepherd would do.”
And maybe you’ve stood where Joseph stood. Conflicted between what God has said and what makes sense to you. You’ve stared into a sky blackened with doubt. And you’ve asked what Joseph asked. You’ve asked if you’re still on the right road. You’ve asked if you were supposed to turn left when you turned right. And you’ve asked if there is a plan behind this scheme. Things haven’t turned out as you thought they would.
Each of us knows what it’s like to search the night for some light. Not outside a stable, but perhaps outside an emergency room, or on the manicured grass of a cemetery. We’ve asked our questions. We’ve questioned God’s plan and we’ve wondered why God does what He does.
If you are asking what Joseph asked, let me urge you to do what Joseph did. Obey. That’s what he did. He was obedient when the sky was bright… and when it was dark. He didn’t know everything. But he acted on what he knew. He would soon pack up his family, and head to another country because that’s what God said to do. Like Joseph, you can’t see the whole picture. And just like Joseph, you have a choice: to obey or disobey. Because Joseph obeyed, God used him to change the world.
We find great every-day wisdom in God’s Word: the Bible. As a new year, 2025 dawns, consider all the choices that await you. Each new day, this year; you can decide better! With God’s help you can change your world!
Pastor Jim
