Good News: The Blessings of Obeying God in 2020
Matthew 1,2
Each year as we approach and live out the Christmas season, I like to read the Christmas story once again, presuming I had never heard it before, asking God to reveal more truth to me. And scripture keeps speaking to us. One of the numerous translations I read this year was the amplified Bible of chapter one and two and the thing that reached out and grabbed me most was the role of Joseph listening for God’s voice, and responding in obedience to Him in the Christmas narrative. It begins as early as in Joseph’s life, in chapter 1:18-25. Of course, we get a clear clue as to Joseph’s heartbeat when it says Joseph didn’t want to shame Mary or disgrace her, in finding out she was pregnant before they came together. He had a compassionate spirit. But God came to Joseph in a dream and verified that the conception was of the Holy Spirit and he could follow through with the engagement and marriage. Verses 24, 25 say, “Then Joseph being aroused from his sleep DID as the angel of the Lord commanded him: He took her to his side as his wife. But He had no union with her until she had borne her firstborn Son; and he called His name Jesus.”
Of course, Herod the King, wanted to know where his competitor to the throne was (although it was a paranoia he didn’t need to worry about; Christ came to establish a spiritual Kingdom in the hearts of people who loved Him.) Jesus was probably near a year old now, in a house when the wise men followed the star in the east, and found out where the baby was. But it says they (the wise men) were divinely instructed and warned in a dream NOT to go back to Herod, so they went to their own country a different way. (2:12) Then God’s angel appears to Joseph again and said: “Get up, flee to Egypt with the young child and his mother,” stay there until I tell you because Herod intends to search for the child in order to destroy/kill Him.” (2:13) They obeyed, saving the life of Jesus. After Herod died, as angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph in a dream, and told him to take the child and his mother back to Israel, because it was now safe. Joseph was again warned by God not to return to Judea, where Herod’s son, Archelaus was ruling, but withdrew to the region of Galilee and settled in a town called Nazareth so what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: He shall be called a Nazarene. (Isaiah 11:1) (Mt. 2:23)
In all of that, we see the heart of a compassionate God who is always working in our lives to protect us, to instruct us, to enable us to get the most mileage out of our life as we choose to listen for His warnings, his guidance, and choose to obey Him. It is there, where we will experience the wonderful blessings He has for those who love Him and follow Him. While the Christmas narrative is riddled with these examples to see how God blesses, it’s our turn to live it out for ourselves and our families just as God used Joseph as a guiding light for Mary and Jesus. I truly believe we will be most blessed as we do the same throughout 2020…..listen closely and be quick to obey because God’s ways are always the best ways. Have a wonderful Merry Christmas season and a Happy and God-filled New Year as we look to God for His many blessings.