When God Changes your Plans

This Advent, we are meeting some of the main actors in the Christmas drama in the light of the spiral dance of Creation Spirituality. We’ve seen how Elizabeth and Zechariah encountered God in an amazing ‘yes’ to their years of prayer for a child. That encounter left Zechariah, at least, fumbling in his faith along the darkness of the Via Negativa until he affirmed God’s work by praising and prophesying about his son’s life.

Last week we saw that Mary’s ‘yes’ to God came with consequences when she had to tell her family and her betrothed husband of the words of Gabriel. Mary accepted God’s Spirit into her heart and soul and womb, thereby becoming the bearer of the total Via Transformativa for the world. This week we’ll enter the world of Joseph of Nazareth, Mary’s ‘espoused husband’, as the KJV puts it.

God’s Via Positiva comes crashing into Joseph’s neatly laid plans for a wife and family when Mary tells him of Gabriel’s visit and promise. In the Gospel of Matthew we hear, “the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” God’s creative force can prove that our carefully thought out plans are worth nothing. In my book, Mary, My Love, poor Joseph is stunned and unable to believe Mary’s words. She leaves him alone in his shop where “Reeling and devastated, I smashed a fist against the tabletop. The perfection of the smooth finish mocked me with a reminder of my love and her betrayal.”

Stop and Think: When have you encountered God’s plans at odds with your own? What happened?

Joseph was plunged into the Via Negativa, where we can feel like we are far from God. This can happen through our own actions, or through circumstances. In Matthew 1:19 it says simply, “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.” Because the betrothal is just as binding as the wedding, Joseph was within his rights to divorce Mary or even to have her stoned for adultery. His first response was to doubt her story of an angel visitation and look for ways to get out of the betrothal.

When we are confronted with God’s plan and it seems too incredible or too difficult to comprehend, we can be like Joseph. In my book, he rushes to the hills outside of Nazareth to try and come to terms with what to do. Eventually, “Worn out from the day’s passion, I sank to my knees. The Name of the Most High was all I could say. Over and over I repeated the word. Eventually, I resolved to divorce Mary and send her away to preserve her life.”

The Via Negativa often involves letting go of our deepest desires to accept God’s even better gifts. Joseph decided to divorce Mary, to give up his dreams of life with her, so he could save her life. God sometimes seems to ask us to give up the very thing we most passionately want to hold onto. Many of those ‘tested’ by God are in the genealogy in the first seventeen verses of the Gospel of Matthew. Think of what Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and Rachel, Rahab, David, Solomon gave up to be part of God’s work of salvation. In my own life, I was devastated when I had to quit being the “Director of Religious Education” many years ago.

Stop and Think: How does it feel when God seems to take away something special in your life? Is God asking (or has God asked) you to give up something you hold dear?

God does not leave us alone in the Via Negativa. When we turn back to God, we can discover that in fact what we thought was terrible is part of the gracious hand of God as we are involved in the working out of the Via Creativa. For me, leaving the position turned out to be the thing that unlocked other parts of my creativity, like writing. As part of the Via Creativa, we act as part of the divine energy that is the same energy that created and is creating the universe. I recently learned that there is no past tense in Hebrew, so “in the beginning, God creates (not created)”, therefore creation is ongoing and continuous and we are part of it.

Eventually, in the midst of his agonizing struggle with God, and his decision to give up Mary, Joseph finds the path of Via Creativa. The Gospel tells us, “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ (Matthew 1:20-23)

Joseph is assured that his role in the drama is important. ‘Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife’ says the angel. Mary will need a husband. The infant will need the protection and nurture of both mother and father. Joseph will be part of the Via Creativa in the child’s life that will help him grow into a good, strong man.

Throughout our lives we circle and ‘dance’ through the four parts of the journey of Creation Spirituality. Matthew Fox quotes Mechtild of Magdeburg who explains, “the Creator has given us two wines to drink from: the white wine of bliss and harmony and ecstasy and the red wine of pain and suffering and loss. To fully live, to live spiritually, therefore is to drink of both wines in our lifetimes.” In the space of time between hearing Mary’s news and coming to accept it as God’s will, Joseph drank of both wines.

Stop and Think: Can you name times when you drank of the white wine of bliss, and of the red wine of pain?

The Gospel of Matthew says, “When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.” (Matthew 1: 24-25) In his acceptance of the will of God, Joseph aligns himself with the Via Transformativa. He becomes part of working with God to bring redemptive change to the world.

In my book, when Joseph comes to acceptance, he acts.

The words of Isaiah came to me, ‘A young woman shall be with child, and you shall call his name Emmanuel.’

“Emmanuel.” I said the name aloud. “God is with us.”

The meaning had never seemed so real and possible. Suddenly, God was not a distant figure from the past who only spoke to Abraham and Moses. The One whose true Name was too holy to be spoken had come to a fourteen year-old girl in Nazareth.

“Mary is pregnant by the will of God,” I whispered in awe.

My words were absorbed by the night breeze and my heart thudded at the audacity of such a thought. The memory of my dream reassured me. The touch of the soil in my fist convinced me that I was awake. I watched the moon set. The pre-dawn darkness on the hillside was not frightening. Angels still seemed to hover nearby. A red glow in the eastern sky foretold the dawn.

“I must go to Mary.”

Like Joseph, when we understand that we are, as Madeline L’Engle says “co-creators with God”, we can step onto the Via Transformativa and start working with the Creator of all to change the world for good. That may be just helping a child with homework, posting a positive saying on Facebook, writing a blog, or it could be starting a movement for some social justice issue.

Joseph knew that the path he accepted would not be easy. His part was to be an earthly father and faithful husband. MC Richards notes “Let no one think that the birth of humanity is to be felt without terror. The transformations that await us cost everything in the way of courage and sacrifice. Let no one be deluded that a knowledge of the path can substitute for putting one foot in front of the other.” Joseph had no way of knowing that the journey would take the Holy Family to Egypt and back, or that they would face danger from Herod. He did know that he would need courage. All he knew was that he had accepted God’s will for his life and he must move forward. In fact, all we can each do is step onto the path we think we are called to follow and trust God.

Stop and Think: Do you spend time thinking ABOUT the path, rather than walking the path stretching out in front of you? Are you stuck on the sidelines because you don’t think you have the courage to step out in faith?

Next week, we will see what happens when God comes knocking. 

Advent 3-Thursday-Acceptance

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen

Today we continue to think about Joseph. Yesterday we saw that his first reaction was to quietly divorce Mary. God had different plans. “But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’…When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife” (Matthew 1:20-24)

In this painting by Domingo Martinez, we see the exhausted Joseph and the angel. Sometimes God’s plan for our lives is very different than what we expected. All this week we’ve seen various ways that has played out for Israel, and for Joseph-and for us. For Joseph, this meant a complete change of attitude and the willingness to accept Mary and her ‘shame’, including all the gossip.

When has God’s plan surprised you with a new direction?  

Advent 3-Wednesday-Joseph

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen

This week of rejoicing in the power of God is a good time to look at the man who played an important part in the coming of Jesus. Joseph of Nazareth is often overlooked because his is a supporting role. He is not one of the stars of the show. However, Joseph had a difficult decision when faced with Mary’s announcement of her pregnancy. (My novel, Mary, My Love, explores the whole Nativity story from Joseph's viewpoint.)

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.  (Matthew 1:18-25)

In Joseph’s time, a betrothal was just as binding as the actual marriage and infidelity was punishable by stoning, if the man demanded it. The other options were to marry the woman (and admit that you had slept together before the marriage), or to quietly divorce her. This was what Joseph decided to do.

Was there a time when you were torn between what you thought you should do and what society was urging you to do?
Tomorrow we'll see how God changed Joseph's mind.

He walks to do good

During Epiphany we are looking into St. Teresa’s prayer to discover how we can more fully be Christ’s hands, eyes, and body in the world. We’ve touched on being hands and eyes of Christ to move the kingdom down the road and to be open to seeing the needs around us.

Today we consider our feet as instruments for Christ to “walk to do good.” I am reminded of the song “Holy Ground” which John Michael Talbot sings on several of his recordings. The first verse is especially applicable.  

This is holy ground
We're standing on holy ground
For the Lord is present
And where He is is holy…

If we view the place where we are standing as holy, it will change our view of the world. It won’t matter if we find ourselves in (real or figurative) mud-pits, mountain tops, turning places, rose gardens, or at a dead end. We can walk through all life's situations with God and one another.

Joseph, son of Jacob, went through some pretty dramatic life challenges. His life started out wonderfully. As the beloved son of the favored wife, he got all the perks. This made his brothers jealous and in retaliation they sold him into slavery. False accusations put him in prison. In all of these events, though, Joseph discovered that “the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.” (Genesis 39:23) He trusted in God and ultimately was able to tell his brothers “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive.” (Genesis 50:20)

Teresa of Avila says that ours “are the feet with which He walks to do good.” As Joseph’s life played out, he found his feet in many places that he didn’t expect. In each instance, he was an instrument of God for good. Joseph, the slave in Potiphar’s household, ‘found favor [with his master]…and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all he had…the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake…he had no concern for anything but the food which he ate.’ (Genesis 39:4-5)

In prison, ‘the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison…whatever was done there, he was the doer of it.’ (Genesis 39:21-22). When he was called before Pharaoh, Joseph still depends upon God. He tells Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” The interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream brings Joseph to the pinnacle of Egyptian success. Pharaoh recognizes that Joseph is a man of God. “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise…you shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” (Genesis 41:39-40). He becomes responsible for the relief efforts before and during the famine and ultimately saves his father and brothers.

Joseph must have had to often remind himself that he was ‘standing on holy ground’ and that God would not forsake him. When we are in a dark or challenging spot, do we look around and see the Holy or do we fall into despair? Joseph had every reason to give up, but he did not. He continued to serve God wherever he was. He continued to walk forward on the Holy Ground and allowed his feet to be the instruments through which God could act to bless Potiphar, the warden, Pharaoh, all Egypt and even his own family.

Holy Loving Lord of Joseph and Teresa, help me to see wherever I am as Holy ground. Help me to trust that whatever the situation, You are present to do good. I offer my feet to Your service. Amen

At Loose Ends

The response of “Let Go and Let God” can happen when we come to the point where we are at “loose ends” and don’t know what to do next or what will happen in our lives. One definition is that when we are at loose ends, we are restless or unsettled. That was certainly true for a couple of Bible heroes: Joseph, son of Jacob and Abigail, wife of David.

Joseph’s story is found in Genesis. He was the son of Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife. His father’s favoritism led to jealousy among his 10 half-brothers. They threw him into an empty cistern and then sold him into slavery. (Genesis 37:18-28). That wasn’t the end of Joseph’s troubles. False accusations put him in prison, where he certainly was at loose ends. He was sure that he’d never get out of prison and never see his family again. (Genesis 39:29f)

Abigail, on the other hand, was married to a rich man who was selfish. She was secure and privileged. Then David, an outlaw from the court of Saul, sent a messenger to Nabal asking for supplies because he had protected Nabal’s flocks in the wilderness. When Nabal refused, she found herself unsettled and realized she had to take action to protect the family. (I Samuel 25:14-31) When she told her husband what she had done, “his heart died within him, and he became as a stone…and he died” (I Samuel 25:37-38). This left her completely at loose ends without protection of a husband.

Even though both these Bible heroes thought that their life was unsettled permanently. God, knew there was a lot more to the story. Joseph was destined to be the governor of Egypt to save his family (and the nation of Egypt) from the effects of a famine. David sent for Abigail and she became his wife and support during his time of exile and kingship.

There is a positive side to being “at loose ends”, though. It is the opportunity that is hidden in being unsettled. Maria in The Sound of Music says, "When the Lord closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.” That is true for us today and it was true for men and women in the Bible. We can get so focused on looking at the closed door that we forget to look around for the open window. 

At least I know that’s true for me. Only when I let go of my plan of using the obvious ‘door’ can I see the wide open window. I love this picture I found online because it shows that the door is the narrowest way to get to the other side. In reality, in God’s will, the wall is entirely open! There have been times when I’ve felt at ‘loose ends’-unsettled and uncertain about what the next step was. There have been times when I’ve felt that there couldn’t possibly be another step because the road is a dead end. Usually those are times when the Lord has a new direction for my walk, but I have to “Let Go” before God can work. When I quit pounding the closed door and look around, I can see the opportunity for a new direction.

Joseph and Abigail discovered opportunity in the ‘loose ends’ of their lives. Joseph, in Egypt, realized that his life as the favored son of a sheik in Canaan was over. Then he was able to be open to God’s plan. Only then could God place him in a position of power and restore his family. In my novel, It is I, Joseph he is torn between reconciliation with his brothers or revenge and decides on reconciliation (after he puts them to a little test-see Genesis 44:1-45:8). Joseph has come to understand that “it was not you who sent me here, but God.” 

Abigail was at ‘loose ends’ after Nabal died. She was unable to imagine what would happen to her as a widow. Then, “David sent and wooed Abigail, to make her his wife…and [she] became his wife.” God had a new opportunity as the support and love of David’s life. In My Abigail she gives him wise counsel during his time of exile, and this is because she learned to be strong and wise as the wife of the ‘foolish’ Nabal.

When my life is at ‘loose ends’, it is never a comfortable experience. Looking at Bible heroes helps me understand that very often that is the way God works and where the open window of opportunity can be found. If you feel like your life is ‘at loose ends’, look around for that window and see what opportunities God has in store for you.

There is an even worse feeling than being at loose ends. That is ‘being at the end of your rope’. We’ll look at a couple of Bible heroes that found themselves in that position, next time.

Saying Yes to God with Joseph

Today’s the Third Sunday of Advent. It doesn’t seem possible that we are more than half way through Advent. On the Third Sunday many people light the pink candle in their Advent wreath in honor of Rose Sunday. It is also called Gaudete Sunday from the Latin word for Rejoice used at the beginning of the service.


The Third Sunday reminds us that we are moving closer to the joyful birth we are anticipating. It is a good day to look at a central, yet often forgotten figure in the Nativity story. Joseph of Nazareth is an important and integral part of the whole saga. Without his acceptance of God’s call, the story would have been very different.

His story is found in Matthew 1:18-25. Joseph and Mary are betrothed, which by Jewish law was the same as being married, except the couple did not live together. If either party died, the remaining partner would be considered a widow or widower with the rights of a surviving spouse. Likewise, if the man or woman was unfaithful, the punishment was the same as if they were living as man and wife. This could mean stoning for adultery.

Joseph is confronted with a choice when Mary tells him she is pregnant. “Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly,” says  scripture. In my book Mary, My Love, Joseph struggles mightily with the decision* before being reassured by the “angel of the Lord [who] appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’”

Joseph wakes up and “he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.” Matthew says that the prophecy from Isaiah 7:13-14 was fulfilled: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’”

It took faith for Joseph to accept Mary’s announcement and take her as his wife. He would have to bear the snickers of the neighbors and the knowing glances from his friends. Even though he had the assurance of the angel and his love of Mary, he also learned to lean on God who promised (Hebrews 13:5):

Never will I leave you, That’s something I’ll never do

Forever remember that it’s true…

And when you fear, the scars and tears

Remember what I have sworn

I’ll be with you through the storm… (Michael Card, Never Will I Leave You)

Joseph’s life was turned upside down by Mary’s pregnancy. Everything he carefully planned as husband was changed when God called him to be father of Emmanuel. Zechariah had God carefully ‘boxed’ and found it initially impossible to believe God could act in his life. Mary believed that nothing was impossible with God. Joseph’s compassion and love won over his doubt and fear so that he could respond with faith and take Mary as his wife.

Michael Card has a Christmas song that explores Joseph’s thoughts after Jesus’ birth. Even holding the baby, he wonders "how could it be?"

Joseph's Song

How could it be this baby in my arms

Sleeping now, so peacefully

The Son of God, the angel said

How could it be...

Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours

How can a man be father to the Son of God...

How could it be

Joseph asks "How could it be?" When things don’t go as I plan, I tend to rant and rave. After a while I calm down and then I can see that there are opportunities in the new direction of my life. Usually, it is only in looking back that I recognize how much better God’s plan was than mine. Joseph, too sought to find "where I fit into this plan of yours, How can a man be father to the Son of God."

What sorts of scars and fears did you identify and put in your Advent box last week? Did you hear the voice of your inner 'censor'? A spiritual director once told me that the first step to healing is to identify and become aware of the scars.

This week, identify some of the plans or dreams that you had to let go of. Think how the end result was different than you thought it would be, and where God was in the process. Can you, with Michael Card, know that God’s word is true that says, “Never will I leave you…Forever remember that it’s true, never will I leave you”? Sometimes it takes the passing of time for me to see the good that came out of a vanished dream or plan.

Next week as we draw near to Bethlehem, we’ll look at how the Shepherds, the first visitors to the Newborn, responded to God’s call.

*Excerpt from Mary My Love by Cynthia Davis (see the Books tab above or my website for more info)

…Blindly I headed for the hills beyond Nazareth. If anyone greeted me, I did not hear. Mary’s words repeated their terrible litany in my head.


“Bear a son…God chose...no man…I do not lie.”


Faster and faster I walked, until I was running up the mountainside. The same grove of trees that saw my decision to wed Mary received me. Like a mad man I smashed my hands against one trunk and then another until my rage was spent. In despair I fell to my knees.


“God, why do you mock me? I believed you gave me Mary’s love. Now she admits that she carries a child which is not mine!” Renewed anger set me to pacing. Suspicion fueled the fire. “Joachim was eager to accept my offer. Did he know that his daughter was no virgin, even then? Was I the dupe all along?”


I heard the animal growl that came from my throat. If the man had been near I would have choked an answer from him. My head began to pound from my emotions and unanswerable questions. Sinking down with my back against a tree, I buried my face in my hands.


“God, the girl blasphemed to cover her lie. How can you not strike her down?”


A memory of her radiant face gave me pause. The innocence and beauty of her announcement came back to me. I dared not believe it true.


“God, is Mary a victim of some hoax? God, did you steal my bride?”


Throughout the day I alternately paced and sat, prayed and cursed, raged and wept. The evening shadows started to darken the grove when a horrifying thought occurred to me. I crashed to my knees, gripping a sapling for support.


“I do not accept Mary and her child, she will be stoned!”


The pain that grabbed me by the heart radiated throughout my body until I could almost feel stones striking me. I slid to the ground in agony. My father’s recital of what happened to his mother flashed into my mind. Groaning, I covered my head. With my eyes closed I saw the rarely used pit outside of Nazareth. Only once had I seen anyone stoned there. A man convicted of blasphemy had been dragged to the place. Every man in town had taken turns throwing rocks until the body was an unrecognizable bloody pulp.


“No!”


I sprang up, eyes wide with the remembered horror. I could not condemn any woman to such a death. Sanity slipped me a lifeline.


“There is another option,” I whispered. “I can send her away until the child is born. No one need know.”


I tried to ignore the insistent voice that hissed ‘you would always remember’. The shadows grew as I resumed my pacing. My pride shied away from naming the child as mine. True, the gossip could be stared down. Many men sampled the marriage bed during the betrothal. No one would condemn me. I would be the only one to know the infant was not of my seed.


“God…”


Worn out from the day’s passion, I sank to my knees. The Name of the Most High was all I could say. Over and over I repeated the word…

Advent II-I will not forsake you

Last week we looked at the Annunciation to Mary. An angel, a heavenly messenger, comes to this young girl of Nazareth with the amazing news that she will be mother of Messiah. Her courage was tested when she had to tell her husband-to-be, Joseph, that she was going to have a child. Joseph was likely 10-20 years older than Mary. Men were expected to be established in life before they married. Some traditions say he was much older than Mary, perhaps in his 50’s or 60’s. His age doesn’t matter as much as his faith and courage in accepting Mary and her Child.


We continue with our fictitious interview between the Evangelist Luke and Mary (based on Matt. 1:18-25). This image of Joseph entitled the Anxiety of Jesus is by James Tissot.

LUKE: How did you tell your family about your visit from the angel?

MARY: It wasn’t easy. Mother started to cry and threw her veil over her head. My father just looked stern and disappointed. I know they thought I was lying.

LUKE: What about Joseph?

MARY: (closes her eyes for a moment) I was almost afraid to tell him after my parents’ reaction. He had to be told, though. I hoped that God had prepared him.

LUKE: What happened?

MARY: I walked to his carpenter shop. He was busy and I watched him work from the doorway for a little while. He smiled when he saw me. When he asked, ‘Mary, why are you here?’, I knew that he had not been visited by an angel.

LUKE: Were you afraid?

MARY: For a moment I wanted to run away, but then I remembered that God was with me. ‘I have something to tell you,” I told the man. I think he expected me to say I couldn’t marry him because I saw a sadness come into his eyes.

LUKE: What did he say?

MARY: Nothing, he just stared at me with that sad expression. ‘Don’t be afraid, it is good news,’ I tried to reassure him. ‘I have seen an angel.’ (pauses and stares away, remembering the scene)

LUKE: Then?

MARY: Joseph still didn’t say anything, so I told him what the angel said to me. I watched his expression change from worry to disbelief to anger. ‘How can you blaspheme?’ he snarled when I finished my story. ‘It is true,’ I insisted. When he turned away, I felt like crying. Inside I said a quick prayer. ‘God, please, I can’t do this alone.’

LUKE: It must have been hard for Joseph to understand what happened to you.

MARY: Yes, he didn’t say anything more to me even when I said, ‘I have not betrayed our betrothal. God has acted. I hoped you would rejoice with me.’ Joseph just stood there with his head bowed. I felt like my heart was breaking. Instead of going home, I walked out to the hills when I left the carpenter shop.

LUKE: I know he did come to believe you.

MARY: (smiles) He came to our house the next day. It was barely dawn, but he roused Father by pounding on the door. Mother and I stood in the shadows while the two men talked. ‘I want to wed Mary,’ Joseph stated. My father nodded. ‘Now, today!’ our visitor insisted. ‘Her child is mine.’ When I heard him claim the child, I was sure God had visited Joseph and softened his heart.

LUKE: Did he ever explain his change of mind?

MARY: (laughs softly) He told me when we walked to his home after our hasty wedding. I barely noticed the stares and whispers of the neighbors as he explained how he struggled to decide what to do. ‘I could have had you stoned,’ he reminded me. ‘You would not do that,’ I answered. He sighed and agreed, ‘I thought I would send you away until the child was born or divorce you. The mental struggle was exhausting and I finally fell into a troubled sleep. In my dream I felt warmth and heard a comforting voice saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ When I woke up, I had to see you and marry you right away.’

LUKE: It takes a brave man to do what he did.

MARY: Few men would accept another man’s child as their own, much less a Child so miraculously conceived. God chose Joseph just like he chose me. I was blessed by his love and support. The gossip did not last long when everyone in Nazareth saw how happy we were together.

The law of Israel considered a betrothal as binding as the actual marriage. A ketubot, a parchment outlining the contract and the duties of husband and wife was signed at the betrothal. If the woman was unfaithful during that time, the punishment was the same as for adultery after marriage. She could be stoned. It was up to the man to decide what to do. When Joseph agreed to wed Mary, he announced to the world that child was his. He was admitting, tacitly, that he and Mary had engaged in premarital relations. Only a few people knew the real truth of the conception of the Child. Joseph’s faith in saying ‘yes’ to God’s call is often overlooked.

Mary’s courage in going to Joseph, her fiancé and telling him she was pregnant, shows us how God can empower us to do things that are hard. Mary and Joseph may have been reminded of Moses’ words of blessing to Joshua and the people of Israel, before they entered the Promised Land. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6 & 8) The Hebrew word “forsake” (azab) in this case means relinquish. Moses promises God will not relinquish (surrender, abandon, let go) the people. Mary and Joseph found this to be true as well.

Can you relate to the faith of Mary who trusts in God, even in the face of doubt by her parents and Joseph?
God promises that he will not forsake you or me. Does that give you comfort?

The first verse of “Great is Thy Faithfulness” captures the essence of God who does not forsake us, no matter how the circumstances look. Meditate on the words this week as you take time with God.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Next week Mary will tell us of her visit to her cousin Elizabeth.

As promised, the book special this week (Dec. 6-12) is buy one get one of any of my books. You can only get this special by emailing me and noting Blog Special in the memo line. Check back next week for another special offer.