Day 2 – When faced with the impossible
“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: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 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 1:20-25
Joseph’s first thought wasn’t to just go with it. He couldn’t see how God was in this, but He still wanted to do what he felt was right and just quietly end things with Mary.
I find it admirable that Joseph, “as he considered these things”, he wasn’t ruled by emotion and making harsh decisions that would have seemed justified. He took the time to consider, and that is where God met him. The angel appeared to him, just as Mary had said one had appeared to her, further validating the outlandish situation that was unfolding.
Then the dawn breaks; this is all happening to fulfill what you have been praying for —the Messiah, Immanuel. Sometimes the answers to our prayers look very different than the solutions we have created in our heads.
Inward: Immanuel, what do you want me to know? Am I taking time to consider how you may be working, even if it is far different from how I would expect?
Outward: Immanuel, what do you want me to do? Is there any way I am standing in the way of Your answer to the prayers I have been praying, because it isn’t how I expected?
