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Day 12, The Second Week of Advent - "Joseph, Humility and Courage"

The story of the first Advent brings us to Joseph – the man Mary is pledged to be married to, and the one who is shocked beyond belief.  Yet here is another example of the beauty of a faith-filled humility God so loves.

In the traditional Christmas plays or programs, Joseph usually has little or nothing to say.  One time, in a Sunday School play, I remember the Joseph character speaking to the Inn-keeper - "Do you have any rooms?"  That's it.   He not only appears to have a small part, but after the story of Jesus at age 12 lingering behind in Jerusalem and his parents returning to get him, he disappears completely from the story of Jesus.  Joseph has a small space in the story of Jesus, but a key one.  Think about this question:

Who is this man whom God chooses to be the Father of his Son?

Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV) 
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 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.
21 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."
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

He is a righteous man.  We don't call people "righteous" unless it is derogatory.  A person who is "righteous" today is considered to be someone who feels they are "above others".  Yet that is not righteous, that is "self-righteous".  

Righteous in biblical sense comes from the idea of a person’s desire to do things correctly - to be obedient to God.  He was a believer who honestly wanted to do what was right before God.
He didn't focus on the obvious "hurt" that came from learning his bride-to-be was pregnant...he could have.  He decided to divorce her "quietly" - without fanfare, not seeking a public affirmation of "you poor guy", because he wanted to obey God and be compassionate to Mary at the same time.  Interesting virtue isn't it?  Obedience and Mercy:  And they say these can't be done, but he did it.

Then he "considers this".  Some have preferred to say God's angel visited and then he re-considered what to do; but that is not what the text says. "After he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream...".  He actively sits down to think – what is going on here?  The word “consider” means to "reflect, meditate, ponder".  What is going on in Joseph?

He is caught up in the mystery of the events.  It doesn't make sense.  He knows Mary and she says God's angel visited her...that the Angel said the child inside is of God...that this child will be the Savior, the Messiah...it is all as we would say it - "crazy".  Was Joseph bothered by it all?  Certainly.  Was he afraid of what to do?  Probably. A friend of mine once told me:  "When trust is lost, fear moves in." 

I can imagine Joseph - perplexed, unsure of what to do.  We've been there haven't we?  It's that place that causes us to stop and when we do it correctly, it leads us to a prayerful waiting.  We need a place for God to speak, to let his word "seep" into the cold, hard soul that closes up in difficult places.

It begs the question:  Do we have a place for mystery?  
Do we have a place where God can invade our "impossibles"? 

Mary’s experience is "impossible", isn't it?  
An angel visiting her is "impossible", isn't it?  
Hearing from God in a dream is "impossible" isn't it?

C.S. Lewis said it best:  "Perfect humility dispenses with modesty."

Joseph is the perfect model for Advent.  He is quiet, reflective, waiting, humble in his faith in trusting God when everything around him screamed to do something different.

Is there an “impossible” for you today that you’ve closed off to God?  Can you by faith return that “impossible” thing to God and place yourself in a place of humble surrender, asking God to take this for His purposes to be fulfilled?

This is the Humble Faith and Courage that is the man God chose to raise His Son -  Joseph.

A Prayer: 
“Lord I think it likely that I close myself off from seeing the ‘impossible’ being changed because I’m stuck in a system of unbelief that you might be willing to do something.  I want to believe in your voice, your heart for me, your desires being fulfilled in my simple awkward walk with you.  Help me to exercise a faith that goes beyond what all others might see “can’t” happen.  Help me to completely trust in You!”  Amen.

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