Thursday December 18th: Faith, Obedience and Trust

“When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.”

Matthew 1: 18-25

How often have our plans not gone as expected? How have we responded in those situations? Do we surrender our dreams and hopes and embrace those God has for us? If our faith is dependent only on great and comfortable experiences, that is not authentic faith.

Today’s scripture passage tells of Joseph: a man of authentic faith. Joseph was “betrothed” to Mary, a virgin. When he realized she was pregnant, he decided to divorce her “quietly.”  He didn’t want to disgrace her. However, when the angel appeared in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take her as his wife, he did it. He had faith that believed in the impossible despite visible circumstances.

We need to look at our spousal relationships. Are we givers or takers? Like Joseph, we must be willing to sacrifice and protect the dignity of each other. If we do, the Holy Spirit will overshadow our family lives, and we shall give birth to Jesus in a whole new way.