18 …Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him… Matthew 1:18-20
In considering this part of Joseph and Mary’s story, we might think of Mary being a young girl who dreamed of the day when she and Joseph would marry and start a family, but let us remember that Joseph had that dream, as well. While Mary spent time with Elizabeth, Joseph would have been building a home for them as Jewish tradition directed. As a carpenter, he probably also lovingly made furniture and other household items he believed Mary would like. He could have even carved a special gift to give Mary upon her return to show her how much he had been thinking of her and their lives together.
His excitement must have built each day until the long-awaited day came, the day of Mary’s return. There she was, his beloved, his bride, his wife, but then came the sickening news that she was pregnant. How that must have pierced his heart since he knew he had always honored her purity. The child could not possibly be his. She must have been unfaithful, and now she was telling this bizarre story. Joseph’s thoughts and feelings must have been in turmoil as he tried to deal with the extreme disappointment and devastating loss. However, he did not act out of emotion; instead chose to consider the matter in righteousness.
Don’t be afraid of loss and extreme disappointment, as it probably means that God has something bigger and better for you. Joseph did lose the life he had imagined, but God had a more spectacular life planned for him. Joseph was chosen to be the foster father of Jesus, the most incredible honor a father could ever receive. God entrusted to him the assignment to protect and raise the Christ child with Mary.
Prayer
Father, when disappointments and loss come my way, and You say they will come, help me to trust that You have something bigger and better for me.
If this devotional ministered to you, you can find more like it in Bishop Chuck’s newest devotional book, Joseph: The Foster Father Of Jesus. Books arrive from the printers on October 25th and you can pre-order them now. Click here to order online. For pickup or bulk orders, contact us at contact.aslanroars@gmail.com or 334-207-7171