by Dona Hake
As we read testimonies from the lives of people in the Bible, there is a great deal to learn. As we ponder the birth of Christ, and how miraculous it was, it reminds us how God does great and mighty things. His ways are higher than our ways, and way beyond what we could ever dream up. I can only imagine how Mary felt when the Angel appeared to her with such shocking news. Her first response….”How can this be?????” But what about Joseph?
Today I want to bring some thoughts for you to meditate upon relative to Joseph in the story of the birth of our Savior. I wonder how Joseph felt when he found out Mary was pregnant but he was not responsible for it. He was in a tough position, and he knew it well. Joseph was an upright man with some decisions that had to be made. When Mary’s condition was discovered it would have been customary, according to the Law of Moses, to stone her to death. So Joseph had a plan…at least he thought he had a plan. He had a plan, he pondered a thought, but there was a divine intervention.
Matthew 1:19-25 New King James Version
19 “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “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. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
“But while he thought about these things, BEHOLD an angel of the Lord appeared…” As we ponder this portion of scripture in which Joseph had his own plan go up in smoke, let us learn from it. Many times we too can have problems that may seem unsolvable. We may dread the consequences of a problem we are facing. We may be facing things that are so big, and we do not know what to do. It is so easy to turn to our own reasoning and prepare a way of escape in our own mind, but all of a sudden God intervenes! Have you ever experienced God intervening in a situation? I know I have! I hope this encourages your heart to look to the Lord first of all, and allow His intervention in every area of your life. We serve a God that is the greatest problem solver ever!