Joseph Takes Mary as His Wife

Creation: A Divine Cycle
The Savior Has Been born

The Savior Has Been Born

Matthew 1:18-25. The Message

The Birth of Jesus

18-19 The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.
20-23 While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.” This would bring the prophet’s embryonic sermon to full term:
Watch for this—a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Immanuel (Hebrew for “God is with us”).
24-25 Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream: He married Mary. But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby. He named the baby Jesus.

For Reflection

When we accept the God of Love we sacrifice ourselves.   Joseph did not react to the news of Mary's pregnancy by defending his manhood. Many men in his time and in ours, would have wanted retribution for this affront to his pride, for the insult it represented, for the harsh criticism he would have to face from the other men in the community.

No, the first thought was to save the reputation of a woman he loved. That required a denial of the part of him that demanded retribution. Joseph put his intended wife's reputation and, perhaps, her life, ahead of his perception of who he is and what others might think about him. The Christ Child may not have been born had Joseph not sacrificed himself for his wife.

So it was, that the child was born through self-sacrifice.    The angel only confirmed Joseph's decision.  The sacrifice of self is more difficult and. therefore, more valuable that the sacrifice of possessions.  To be God-centered requires nothing less.


Pray

for the courage and trust in God to set aside who you may think you are in favor of who God knows you ar