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Ironically enough, one of my favorite parts of the Christmas story has centered around Joseph. However, we don’t always talk a lot about him. He might seem one of the least important people in the Christmas story, but he shouldn’t be. If we dig deep enough, we can learn from Joseph’s unknowns and his actions. 

Even though Joseph was engaged to Mary, he learned she was pregnant, and the baby was not his child. He didn’t want to raise a child who wasn’t his. He considered divorce, but because he cared about her, he would do it quietly, so it wouldn’t bring disgrace upon her. For Joseph, this was a question of reputation. It was about his manhood and how society would treat and look at him. 

Maybe you’re in a situation where you need to make some hard decisions. These decisions may not only affect you but others around you. Can I encourage you to take a minute and pray to seek the Lord’s will before you decide? I often find during a time like this, the Lord is drawing me nearer to Him even more. 

But something happened to Joseph. When the angel appeared to Him in his dream, he told him to stay and marry her. The angel told Joseph to raise this child who would be named Jesus. Then, Joseph woke and did precisely that. He obeyed. He didn’t question it. He simply followed the Lord.  For Joseph, this was huge. It was the confirmation he needed. All of his unknowns were answered. 

Like Joseph, there will be times in our life when we will experience moments we want to escape. When we get into an unknown situation, we can remember the heart and action of Joseph to help us through. Like Joseph, obedience leads us closer to God. 

May this be a season where we constantly draw closer to Him through our obedience.