“Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly so as not to disgrace her publicly.” Matthew 1:18
Day 7- We are seven days in! How great this is, I hope you are enjoying being in the home of Mary and Joseph and learning so much from their story.
Mary: It is a beautiful day today, and Joseph and I have been praying for each of you. We hope you are enjoying your stay here in Nazareth
We must begin because we have so much to discuss.
I had just found out I would become pregnant with the Child of God. And this would all happen while I was a virgin and still engaged to be married to Joseph. I wondered how Joseph would take the news. “How will he react to this? What will he do, what will he say?” I had so many thoughts running through my mind. But little did I know at the time God was already working it all out and I am glad because I love Joseph so much.
You see, in our day, for a man to marry a woman already pregnant would be shameful and humiliating. So you can only imagine what was going through his head when he heard the news…so you think!
Joseph being a man of great integrity is sensitive to God’s guidance and is always willing to do God’s will no matter what. Therefore he did not react in the way most men would. Instead he reacted quite differently. So different it confirmed to me God’s love and plan and Joseph’s love for God and me. I could go on and on telling you how wonderful Joseph is but I am going to let him share with you his part of the story.
Joseph: I love Mary, what can I say. I mean look at her, she is covered in the beauty of Christ. Anyway, upon hearing the news I decided it would be best if I quietly broke off the engagement so I would not disgrace Mary in anyway. (Like I said I loved her-which made all of this extremely difficult.) (Matthew 1:19)
Having been mentally worn out that day from hearing of all this, I went to bed early. As I was lying down I began considering the decision I would make hoping for some guidance and direction from the Lord. And that I got. After having laid there for a while I finally fell asleep and it was in my sleep I would receive what I had hoped for; guidance, direction, and a better understanding of what was going on. It all happened through a dream when an angel of the Lord appeared to me. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-22) How about that for clarity? God knew exactly what He wanted, He knew exactly how it needed to be done and He knew it would open my eyes to see Mary in a whole new way.
God is just good like that. When I woke up the next morning I felt a since of peace with in me. One that reassured me it would all be okay. I also realized very quickly that once Mary became my wife I would become the earthly father of the Son of God. No pressure!
So I jumped up and followed the Lord in obedience and made Mary my wife.
Yes our situation is completely different from any other, but God’s direction for all of us is the same. When we depend upon the Lord and look to Him, He will give us clarity, understanding, guidance, and wisdom to know exactly what to do, in the big and small decisions. We should always be seeking His over our own or anyone else’s. Solomon said it best, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
He did for me!
