day 6 Joseph

 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  ( Matthew 1 ;18-25)



Joseph. Bless him.  Here he is, a hardworking, kind, thoughtful but ordinary man about town.  Just got engaged. Possibly a bit nervous about all that that implied.  Getting to know the in-laws and putting his best foot forward. Preparing his home to receive his new bride.  Consulting with elders about the ceremony and doing all those exciting things that newly engaged people do.  We hope he loved Mary.  We assume from what happens next that he did because he acts so honourably towards her.  Maybe she is the love of his life.  Maybe she is someone his parents have arranged for him.  Whatever the circumstances Josephs life is about to change and its a big thing.  Exciting, positive, hopeful.

And then..... Boom! Mary announces she is pregnant.   Devastating.  Heartbreaking. Deeply shaming.  She has slept with someone else. She not only doesn't love Joseph she actively loves someone else.  She is rambling on about angels and divine interventions and the Holy Spirit having overshadowed her ..... yeah right.  Maybe she has been sitting on this information for at least a few weeks.  He must be feeling utterly betrayed.  Did they fight?  Did he cry?  We skip over the gospel verses so quickly but behind those words lies a whole world of pain.  And fear

And into this scenario drops another angel. Once again saying ' Do not fear'.   except this time its not ' Do not fear because a big scary angel is speaking to you'  its ' do not fear to take Mary to be your wife'.  Which would lead us to believe that Joseph has been seriously stressing about exactly this.   He's caught between a rock and a hard place.  Needs to keep the law and protect himself from becoming a social outcast.  Wants to minimise the shame and ridicule and yet also wants to protect Mary and not condemn her -  he would have been well within his rights.   But he is told ' Don't worry about all of that.  Its going to be OK.  God's got this. He knows what He is doing and you will be blessed if you do what He tells you. '  And dear wonderful Joseph obeys the command.  He makes a choice not to fear.  He does what he is told in complete trust , knowing full well that there will be huge consequences.  What a guy,  Well done Joseph.

Then Mary goes off to hide her pregnancy from the world at Zechariah and ELizabeth's house and Joseph is left home alone to prepare not only for a bride but a baby.  How many people knew?  How was he going to explain the presence of this child when Mary returned home massively pregnant?   Joseph was brave.  Or maybe he wasn't brave, he just chose not to be full of fear. 

Sometimes life throws us a curve ball.  Things dont go as we assumed they would. God has a different plan.  And its not the road we would have chosen.  When everything we are standing on is shaking we have a choice.  Sink in the sand or plant our feet on the Rock.  We always have a choice.

I know some of you are shouting that its not so simple as choosing.  Our minds and our bodies dont respond.  The fear is insistent and loud and persuasive.  Yes.  I know.  But fear is a liar.  Its Truth that sets us free.  More of this later.

Lord thank you for Joseph.  Thank you that he was a man who trusted You in the face of very difficult circumstances. Thank you that he was prepared to go against his culture and traditions and his own moral code to obey the living and active word which came to him telling him to be brave.  Give me some of what Joseph had.  Amen

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