via TJC
What do we truly know about Joseph, and more specifically, his character and obedience. By faith as we believe God’s word to be true, we know that Joseph is a just man (guided by truth, reason, and fairness). We know he was truly human as he contemplated divorcing Mary (Matt 1:19). However, the angel came to Joseph in a dream and told him not to. When he awoke, Joseph’s immediate response was that he married Mary, exactly as the angel told him (Matt 1:24). He was a virtuous and chaste man (Matt 1:25) and because of that safeguarded the integrity of the supernatural, virgin birth. Twice he instantaneously did as an angel told him when he awoke from sleep, fleeing to Egypt to avoid King Herod (Matt 2:13-14). A third and fourth time he obeyed the instructions of an angel and God himself (Matt 2:19-23).
Through his pattern of obedience, Joseph protects Mary, the Christ child and the integrity of the supernatural. Not of his own will (reason or understanding) but through God’s instruction. It would be inaccurate to call it “simple obedience” as there was nothing simple about the journey Joseph and Mary took with God. Isn’t that what we’re called to do, obey, even when it isn’t easy.
The symbolism of Joseph’s fatherhood is uncanny. Joseph became an adoptive, earthly Father through his ‘buy-in’ and obedience to the Lord’s commands by Faith. When we ‘buy-in’ by Faith and place our trust in Jesus Christ, we are also adopted into the family of God, who is our heavenly Father.
But we can still take paths of disobedience that can give us an identity we shouldn’t have. Jesus calls us to repent and change that identity. Consider areas of your life where obedience is a must for much needed change. It may very well continue to propel the blessings of Abraham through your family. Your pattern of obedience to God’s direction will be the hedge of protection your family needs. Consider how great an example Joseph is, even though we know so little about him (yet, maybe just enough to be sufficient).
Daily Battle Order
Read Matthew 1 and 2 and Luke 2. Ponder the journey of obedience that paved the way to our adoption by faith and repentance. Also ponder this: More than 300 prophecies were foretold about the Messiah - God completely fulfilled every single one; and Joseph’s obedience played a huge part. The probability of one person to fulfill only eight of the messianic prophecies is 1 in 1017 (a 1 followed by 17 zeros) (Stoner, Peter; Science Speaks).
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