December 31, 2024 | Be God's Family
The Strength of What We Believe
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25(NIV)
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet 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 conceive and 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 did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Devotional
Joseph learned that his fiancé Mary was pregnant before they moved in together or consummated their marriage.
According to the Jewish custom, marriage happened in three steps.
- The two families agree to the marriage.
- Public announcements of marriage are similar to engagements in modern times, except marriages can only be broken by divorce or death. During this time, the couple live separately, and they are not permitted to have sexual relationships yet.
- The couple moves in together, and the marital relationship is consummated.
Before moving in together, the whole village/community knows about the impending nuptial, and, of course, the couple is expected to be faithful to each other. If one partner cheats, the cheating partner is punished by stoning.
When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, he would have been subject to a lot of shame, too. The whole community would know that either she didn't like the arranged marriage and had stepped out on him, or they had not been able to wait for marriage. Joseph had two options: divorcing Mary quietly or stoning her.
An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, reassuring him that Mary's conception was from the Holy Spirit and asking him to a third option: ask Mary to move in with him and absorb the shame of the baby's early arrival.
Joseph followed the Lord's command and took Mary as his wife, but out of respect, he did not consummate the marriage until the birth of the Lord.
Lessons from Joseph's story:
Joseph trusted God and followed the Lord's command despite cultural norms. He showed tremendous integrity and trust in the Lord by opting not to take the face-saving easy way out.
Are you willing to trust in God, follow God's will with conviction, and maintain integrity? Reflect on a situation in your life when you were faced with a tough decision between doing the right thing and risking the disapproval of your peers. How did you respond?
Poem
There Is Love
Psalm 91, Isaiah 7:14, 8:8, 10
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” Psalm 91:1-2
"Love roofs over and covers, bears all things…” 1 Corinthians 13:7
There is a Love which shelters us
A place where we can dwell
A cleft in rock
A deep pierced side
A shadowed sanctuary
There is a Love which grace provides
A shield from condemnation
A breastplate strong
A strong arm guard
A righteousness replacement
There is a Love which we can give
A covering of shaming
A righteous work
A set aside
A blanket warm and hiding
There is a Love, a refuge friend
Who walks beside our calling
An arm around
A tear catcher
A heart of comprehending
There is a Love which comes to us
A great Emmanu’l dwelling
An incarnation
A presence true
A Love beyond all telling
