Making Space – An Advent DevotionalSample

Not Just A Regular Nice Guy

This is a familiar passage about a really good guy – Joseph, the man pledged to marry Mary. Things must have been going great for Joseph. Perhaps his carpentry business was doing well and he was ready for the next stage of his life – to marry the woman betrothed to him.

Then Joseph’s plans fell apart. He found that his wife-to-be was already with child. The gospel account in Matthew records that since Joseph was a righteous man, he planned to divorce Mary quietly. That was till God spoke to him in a dream. 

Joseph then stopped being a regular nice guy. He became an obedient follower of God – even when he didn’t know how things would work. He became a risk taker for God. He didn’t just do the good thing. He did the godly thing. He didn’t just do the right or reasonable thing. He did the righteous thing.

What is my response when God calls me to do the unexpected? Do I shrink from obedience because of fear? Or, like Joseph, do I follow the righteous way because I trust that God knows what He’s doing?

Prayer

Father, thank you for the example of Joseph. Thank you that when You call, You also equip. Help me to remember that Your grace is sufficient for me, that Your power is made perfect in weakness. Help me to always choose the path that puts You first, no matter what the consequences. Amen