Have you ever questioned what to do?
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months then she returned home. I know God’s word is complete, forgive me for saying this, but I want more details! What happened upon her return? Did Joseph get a glimpse of her baby bump? Did she tell Joseph all that had happened? “You’re not going to believe this!”
Joseph’s world was turned upside down. Mary his betrothed was pregnant! Jewish Betrothal was more like modern day marriage. The relationship was legally binding but no marriage ceremony or physical intimacy had yet taken place. Divorce would be necessary to break the covenant and stoning was the punishment for what appeared to Joseph as adultery. What would Joseph do?
But since Joseph was a just man and didn’t want to make Mary a public example, he was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream.
…“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1: 20b (NKJV)
When Joseph aroused from sleep he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary to him as his wife but he did not know her till she gave birth to Jesus.
Joseph had a plan to act but God had other plans. Matthew Henry’s Commentary says, “It was better it should be asked, “ Is not this the son of a carpenter?” than , “Is not this the son of a harlot?”
You may not be a stranger to heartbreaking circumstances! Like Joseph, you desire to take the proper action. We can prayerfully make plans to act and ask God to intervene should He have a greater plan and purpose. We may not receive an angelic visit in our dreams and we may never understand this side of heaven why it happened. Often there is more involved than what we can see. We can however trust in a God who is greater than our circumstances.
Copyright©2017, Gloria Stucky
Originally written for Immanuel Baptist Church 2016
Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash