Advent Devotional - A Husband's Heartache

Perhaps one of the least mentioned figures in the Christmas story is actually one of the major characters in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth.  Joseph.  Joseph?  Yes, Matthew’s Gospel gives us the birth of Jesus from the eyes of His “step-father.”

Joseph teaches us much about humility and faith.  He is a hard working Jewish man.  He is excited about the soon to be marriage with Mary and has even entered legal contract separable only by divorce.  I see him counting down the days. 

How crushed he must have been to hear that Mary was expecting.  No doubt tears were shed as he came to the conclusion that the woman he had been working to provide for had been unfaithful and is now with child by someone other than himself.  What other conclusion could he come to?  And so he decided to quietly end their marriage contract without making a show to many people to help keep Mary from public disgrace.  His concern is still for her and the perception others might have of her.

And so we find him drifting to sleep one night, no doubt having an aching heart, not having yet voided the marriage contract, but deciding to do as much in his mind.  His life is filled with pressure.  He is poor; he is a hard-working, law-abiding citizen, having just had his life upended by infidelity… Or so he thinks. 

And in a dream an angel gives him the message.

“An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins’” (Matthew 1:20-21).

What excitement!  Joseph is thrilled in his heart.  And verse 24 states that Joseph got up from sleep and did just as the angel said.  He obeys immediately.

This is special.  This is special, simple faith.  I see him wide-eyed, relieved, throwing off the simple blanket, running from his bed with joy in his heart.  Joy over the fact that Marry is what he thought she was – that special, virtuous woman that he pledged his hand to and would live to provide for. 

What of Joseph’s family?  What of Mary’s family?  What of the surrounding community?  What are they supposed to believe?  We don’t know what this simple family went through those early days.  But we do know that there would have been ostracism from others.  Most would not believe Mary’s story.  There would be mocking, scoffing. 

But Joseph believed.  He believed the story told to him in a dream and because of that, we read Joseph’s name to this day and marvel at the faith of a young man whose trust in God and the virtue of his fiancé outweighed all the medical evidence of conception from creation to that very birth!

Today, I ask you to believe too.  Believe a message that was not delivered to you by an angel in your sleep.  Believe a message that was delivered to you by the written Word of God.  God has taken on Himself human flesh to bear the penalty for the sins of all humanity.  Hard to conceive of this truth?  Well, you are not the first to think it too good to be true.  I ask you not to scoff, but believe again the inconceivable truth that God has bridged the gap to humanity He lived to die that you might never die-that you might truly live.  With wide-eyed, simple, trust, throw off your clouded dreams of doubt and trust in this beautiful message this Christmas season.

Joseph, man with simple faith will bare

the insults of the passing crowds that stare

at his beloved Mary and her glorious gift.

Steadfast, simple trusting eyes will lift

above. While scolded by man, he is blessed by God.