Matthew
1:18-21
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: 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 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, because he will save his people from their sins.”
An important decision requires consideration.
I had dreamed
about retiring and pursuing writing for years. When the time neared for me to
take the retirement years seriously, Tim and I contemplated what that would
look like. We took into account my health, benefits my job offered, the practicality of me
no longer working outside our home, and of course our income. We prayed about
the decision for me to retire early and thought about what that would mean for
our family. I'm thankful God saw fit for us to move forward with our plans and
provide Tim with work and me with writing opportunities.
Joseph was a
man who considered the needs of his wife-to-be, Mary. When he learned she was
pregnant, he didn't jump to conclusions. He could have broken the engagement in
haste, instead he contemplated his options. He prayed and pondered about what
was best for Mary and for him. Before he made his final decision, God sent an
angel to assure him. You see, God chose Mary to give birth to Jesus, and He
also chose Joseph to be Jesus' father on earth. God knew Joseph's heart. He
found Joseph to be a man of faith who considered what was best for the people
he loved. God knew Joseph would do the same for Jesus.
God is in
the details of my life, and He knows my heart. He hears me, sees me, and
understands me. He has given me the beautiful gift of prayer to guide me as I reflect
on decisions and life's choices.
Joseph
trusted God with the decisions he made. God trusted Joseph with His Son.
Trust God and give Jesus your heart this Christmas.