Guided
18 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. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 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. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people
from their sins." (Matthew 1:18-21)
The arrangement had been made - Mary was to be married to Joseph. Then, suddenly, Mary was said to be pregnant and Joseph had to make a decision. Had there been no divine intervention, Joseph planned to "dismiss" her quietly, annul their arrangement and leave her and her drama behind him. To Joseph, and apparently to the writer of the book of Matthew, this seemed kind. In reality, this would have meant death for Mary - and the child she was carrying. Thankfully Joseph's righteousness was not based on the decision he made on his own, but on his obedience to God's direction. Joseph still had an option - he could have ignored the dream, and continued with his own plan. But Joseph was open enough to hear and accept God's plan, and to set aside his own
security and good name, and obey.
God's faithful guidance is always only a prayer away. We may not always be comfortable with where God is calling us to go, or what God is calling us to do, but as we respond in faith we will be assured of God's presence. As God never ceases to guide us, may we become increasingly open to God's will God's way - trusting in the Lord with our whole heart, leaning not on our own understanding, but in all of our ways acknowledging God so that God will direct our paths (based on Proverbs 3:5-6).
22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. (Matthew 1:22-25)
