“As the Angel of the Lord Had Commanded Him” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)

“As the Angel of the Lord Had Commanded Him” by Melanie Rigney

Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent

Image credit here is: Antonio Ciseri
[Public domain]

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; As king, he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. (Jeremiah 23:5)

Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever. (Psalm 72:7)

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.  (Matthew 1:24)

Piety

Lord, may I listen carefully, and do as You command, without analyzing and calculating the cost-benefit ratio.

Study

It has become one of my favorite scripture verses, Matthew 1:24 when Joseph awakes from his dream. He’s been planning to divorce Mary quietly, what with her being pregnant with someone else’s baby and all. But then there’s that dream when the angel explains what’s happened and what Joseph is to do.

And what does Joseph do? He does not gaze at his navel about this strange turn of events. He doesn’t go to talk with his prayer group or his spiritual adviser or a relative or even Mary about what has happened, and what that dream really means, how it should be interpreted. Nope, he just does what the angel has said. He takes Mary into his home.

It will not be the last time an angel appears in a dream to Joseph. Months later, he will be told to leave Bethlehem and take Jesus and Mary to Egypt. He does that too, without gnashing his teeth or spending hours in prayer. There’s also no drama when he’s told it’s safe to go back to Israel… and then when he’s warned not to go to Judea.

It was a simple faith that Joseph had, just doing what the Lord told him to do. Perhaps it made him the perfect earthly father for Jesus, who as an adult would boil down ten commandments and hundreds of Mosaic laws into two great commandments, whose ministry was all about love—and surrender and obedience.

Action

Don’t go to your prayer group or your spiritual adviser or a relative to get a second opinion on what you know in your soul the Lord is calling you to do. Surrender, confident He knows what is best for you.