“When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a Son. And he called His Name Jesus.”
(Matthew 1:24-25 ESV)
Jesus suffered a great deal in His life; but there is one area in which God made sure He had the very best, and that was in His earthly parents. Look at Joseph! He, as much as Mary, was God’s choice to serve as a parent to His Son. And we can see why when we look at his patience, his love, and his faith.
I’m not sure I could have believed in a dream that told me my fiancée was guiltless, however miraculous it seemed. But Joseph not only believes, he gets up and does exactly what God tells him to do; he brings Mary home as his wife, shielding her and the baby from shame—even though he must have known the whole village would take this as a confession that he himself had jumped the gun and gotten her pregnant before the marriage was finalized.
Why does Joseph do this? Because he loves Mary—and her baby—in spite of everything; and he was willing to lay down his life for them, to keep them safe. Like father, like Son, don’t you think? Jesus showed that same love to all of us when He carried our sin and shame to the cross, protecting us at the cost of His own life. Because He suffered, died, and rose again, we are safe in Jesus’ family forever.
We pray: Dear Jesus, thank You for loving us and making us safe. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* Did anyone ever say you resembled one of your family? If so, how?
* Who is someone who made sacrifices, big or small, to help you?
* Why did God choose Himself to be our Savior, and not an angel or ordinary human?
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on December 21, 2024
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights