Joseph, Planning and God's Will

I'll propose. She'll say, "yes!" Then, I'll head back to my parents' house to add on some rooms for our own home. She'll prepare whatever she needs to prepare to be my wife. We'll be married. I'll continue my carpentry business here in town. She'll be a great little Homemaker and hopefully SAHM soon. Perfect! I've got it all worked out. 


{Okay, I know Joseph probably didn't think exactly like that, but I'm sure he had some kind of plan in mind. Scripture says he was a just man who "considered" things, so I'm sure he was prudent and thoughtful in his decisions. Getting married is a pretty big decision.}


Joseph has his plan all thought-out, and then: "...before they came together she was found to be with child..." 


{Oh dear. I'm not a historian, but I'm sure that was frowned-upon in his culture, but after a night of divine visitation, he decides to keep Mary and the growing baby.}


All right. So, the girl I'm about to marry is pregnant. Not only is she pregnant, but she's carrying the Messiah, the Savior we've been anticipating for thousands of years, the Son of God! No pressure. I can handle this...I need to go chop something...


{If I had been Joseph, these would have been my thoughts: I can't believe you'd put all this on us! We can't handle something this! Why have you done this? Everything was going fine, and now, what are we suppose to do?! Still, God isn't done. Joseph's plans are crumbling to pieces, and God is still pounding into them.}

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child."


{My first thought when I read this was, "Seriously, Lord?!" Then I wondered if Joseph complained or got frustrated with this new situation. Not only was he about to marry a pregnant girl and be the adoptive parent of God's Son, he's also go to pack up and journey 70 miles on foot with a super-pregnant fiancé sitting on a donkey.}
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We don't know for certain what Joseph was thinking and feeling through all of this, but we do know a few things:

• He was a just man. (Matt. 1:19)
• He wasn't hasty in decision-making. (Matt. 1:20)
• He believed Gabriel's message. (Matt. 1:24)
• He obeyed the message. (Matt. 1:24)

May Joseph be an example to God's children. Christians, we must be thoughtful and patient in making decisions, and when God says to do something, we must obey. 

No matter how random and arbitrary or terrifying and humiliating God's will may be, He is a good and loving Father. He only calls us to what is most glorifying to Him. Strangely enough, what glorifies Him is always good for us, whether we believe it or not.

This post was inspired by today's Advent reading, Luke 2:1-7. This and other readings are chronicled here.