One On One: 100 Days With Jesus--ADVENTSample

Joseph: The Man who Believed the Impossible

When Joseph heard Mary’s shocking news, his trust in her shattered. 

The woman he loves, the one he pledged his commitment to before God and kept pure despite his own desires—disappears for three months and shows up pregnant? What was he supposed to think? 

Mary said she hadn’t betrayed him, but he couldn’t believe her. 

What he needed now was a plan. A righteous man, Joseph would do the right thing in God’s eyes, no matter what it cost him. By law he could break their betrothal. Have Mary stoned to death for adultery if he wanted. But Joseph loved her. He didn’t want revenge, just a way out of this mess. Why make it worse for her?—now that she was destined for a life of shame and poverty. He would put her away privately to raise the child alone. 

That’s the only plan Joseph could live with, the only one that finally allowed him to sleep. 

But God had another solution in mind. An angel, likely Gabriel, visits Joseph in a dream and whispers to the devastated man, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” 

And then the story changed. Joseph woke up, put his frantic plans to rest, and however incomplete the picture, decided to believe God. 

But what if he hadn’t? He could have walked away. Nursed Mary’s “betrayal.” Defended his manhood rather than protect her. What if Joseph thought it too big a risk to believe a dream? 

Then God would have had provided another man to be Mary’s strength in the wonder and wounding of this mystery. Someone else would have stood by her in her labor. Someone else would have loved and provided for Jesus. Someone else would have taught Jesus the Law and the Prophets . . . a workman’s craft . . . and what it means to be a man. Jesus would have called another man, Abba. 

The trajectory of another man’s life would have changed that night when God asked the impossible—to believe this fragile news and play a part in this amazing story. 

God’s purposes will not be stopped. Trust Him with crazy obedience or miss the opportunity. 

Some moments in your life set the course of who you’re going to be. Usually subtle, you never see them coming until they hit you broadside. Suddenly one moment of faith changes everything. Am I willing to imagine another kind of life? Could God’s dream be bigger? 

No doubt Joseph and Mary’s lives were harder than they expected. No one will ever know what it cost them. But to have the privilege of loving Jesus in this unique way?—they wouldn’t have traded that, no, not for the world. 

Tomorrow: One on one with the voice crying in the desert