Waiting for the SaviorSample

Waiting for a son: Joseph

You may not have to be a father to understand that having a child is a big responsibility, to say the least. Truly there may be no greater responsibility than bringing a human being into the world who is fully dependent on you to survive. Although Jesus’ birth was thousands of years ago, we can easily imagine that Joseph, being a “just man” (Matthew 1:19), understood the importance of his responsibility. Perhaps he even felt some of the worries related to providing for his family or raising a child in the right way which preoccupies the minds of many fathers today.

As if having our own kids isn't crazy and stressful enough, imagine the feeling if you knew you were responsible for the Son of God! Would that make your waiting period even more difficult? Maybe the obvious answer is to say “yes,” but let’s look at this fact with the eyes of faith…

Matthew 1:24 shows us that by his actions, Joseph proved that he believed that this was God’s idea. When any of us have this type of conviction, that the “something” for which we are waiting is God’s idea, that anxious waiting all of a sudden becomes peaceful, aided by the understanding that the timing of God is perfect.

As we build a relationship with God it becomes easier every day to notice his voice all over the place in our lives. It results in a strong, developed, mature trust in Him - a place in which we are certain of his will for us. When we are willing to build a relationship like this with God, waiting for his timing on things to happen shouldn’t be overly stressful. Just like in the story of Joseph, what normally will look like a heavy responsibility, or burden, becomes a blessing that will be fulfilled exactly at the right time. All that was required of Joseph was to keep doing what he was doing faithfully, and the reality is that his good character and faithfulness may have been the reason that God chose him to carry the responsibility in the first place. In a world of changing circumstances and endless challenges, faithfulness and integrity are always the proper responses!

What is that “something” in your life for which you are waiting? If you will take time to build a relationship with God, and through that relationship gain trust by hearing his voice, then the time of waiting for that promise to be fulfilled will not be a problem anymore. Instead it will become an opportunity to be transformed and prepared for when the time does come.