Advent Day 11 (December 11)

Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, 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.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet... When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25

Mary was not the only one whose plans were interrupted by God. Joseph, her fiancé, certainly found himself in an awkward situation. His betrothed – a virgin – was pregnant. Impossible! Being a fair man and not wanting to humiliate Mary, Joseph decided, after considering the facts and circumstances, that the only “right way” out of the situation was to quietly dissolve their relationship. But God had another idea. He showed Joseph another way of looking at the facts, from Heaven’s viewpoint. To his family and friends Joseph’s decision may have seemed unwise, but the scriptures tell us God makes the wisdom of this world look foolish. (See 1 Corinthians 1:24).

I have always been impressed with how quickly and decisively Joseph accepted and acted upon God’s instruction. Matthew’s Gospel tells us that as soon as he woke from his dream, Joseph did what he had been told to do. No questioning, no doubting, no wavering, no turning back. At some point Joseph determined that he would follow God’s instruction no matter how it would appear to the world. Are we brave enough to do the same? The adventure of our lifetime awaits our decision.

Lord, help me not to miss the adventure of my life. Help me to pay attention to the message You are bringing into my life. Give me the courage to decide without wavering, to obey without fear, and to act with enthusiasm. Amen