The Other Players in the Story
Do we ever take the time to think about the other people involved in Jesus’s life?
Verse of the Day
“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.”
Today’s Devotional
An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him that he should not be afraid to marry Mary, even though she was pregnant. The angel informed Joseph that Mary was indeed pregnant, and that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
I think sometimes we discount the gravity of this part of Jesus’s story for all of the players involved. Joseph had to make a choice. Would he listen to the angel’s message, given through his dream? Or would he quietly divorce Mary and force her to deal with this scandal without his help?
We know what Joseph chose, because we have the privilege of having more pieces of the story. We know that he stayed with Mary and was Jesus’s earthly father. We don’t know how long Joseph lived, because he is noticeably absent in later parts of the biblical story. Clearly these are details that we do not need to know.
I have said many times that I wish God would send me a clear message. But…what would I do if that happened and God placed me right in the middle of some circumstances that could affect every aspect of my life? And if that message from God came in a dream, would I believe that it was real?
We are perhaps desensitized to the scandal that Joseph and Mary were facing because of the world we live in today. My goal is not to focus on the scandal. My goal is to focus on Jesus and how He came into the world. And to be honest, it’s not something I think about all that often. But I love how the angel tells Joseph, from the very beginning – before Jesus is even born, that His purpose is to save HIS people from their sins. Jesus had a purpose, and it was to save us. It’s more than I can wrap my brain around sometimes.
Jesus’s birth is more than just a cute Christmas story. It is the beginning of something marvelous, but I’m sure it did not feel that way to Mary and Joseph at the time. The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ made a way for us to be free. It is the equivalent of standing in a courtroom as a defendant and the judge declaring you “not guilty”, even though you know that you are guilty. It is being trapped in complete darkness and someone finally turns on the light. It is being held in bondage, tied up with no chance of escape, and someone comes to cut loose the ropes that hold you back. That is who Jesus is. Freedom from sin and bondage to our sinful nature are only possible through belief in the name of Jesus.
Today we can choose to acknowledge and be grateful for Mary and Joseph, for their obedience in VERY difficult circumstances, for the overwhelming task of of playing parent to God-made-flesh. And in doing this, let’s take the time to notice the people in our lives who play important roles in our spiritual journey. Who helps you see truth? Who teaches you in a way that makes you question what you thought you knew? Who cheers you on when your endurance is waning? With God’s help (when we ask Him), we can have our eyes opened to the people who make up the rest of our story.
And, since we were looking at Joseph’s part in the birth of our Savior, I’m putting a link to a Christmas song by For King and Country called The Carol of Joseph, and is sung from Joseph’s perspective. Enjoy!
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Put yourself in Joseph’s position. What would you do?
How can you be obedient today to whatever God is asking of you?
Do you live as though you are saved from your bondage?
How can you live today in a way that honors what Jesus has done for you?
Who do you need to thank God for and acknowledge personally for the role they have played in your life?