Woke up

Don't you feel like this some mornings?  You wake up yawning and it feels so good.

Seriously, reading from Matthew 1 this morning about Joseph I grasp the words found in verse 24.

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary as his wife.

Immediately upon waking up, Joseph took action as instructed, found Mary, and took her for his wife.  All the doubts, all the concerns, all the heartaches, everything still there, but Joseph followed God's instructions from the dream.  How long does it take us to follow God's instructions?  All our life?  Years?  Months?  

I think I was struck thinking about how quickly I might respond to a friend's instructions, but how long it takes me sometimes to follow God's plans.  Is this perhaps true of you at times?

Joseph was obedient.  Obedient is a word that makes a lot of us struggle just upon the mention of it, much less with following through with it.  After all, that word in today's world might be politically incorrect.  Me, me, and me is what we all focus on today.  Joseph was definitely not a me person.  He was obedient, compassionate, a believer and an example we should all learn from and about.

Imagine, the ridicule that Joseph faced and yet we are told in chapter 1 that Joseph was righteous man and he did not want her exposed to public disgrace.  He was considering Mary.  He loved Mary and wanted to take care of her even in the most difficult of situations.  He could have had her stoned in public, yet he had compassion and love.  He prayed.  He listened.  He trusted.  He knew that God would provide, so he was obedient in following the instructions the angel gave him.

Lord, I pray for ears to hear your words and your desires for my steps on this journey.  I pray to have compassion and love for my fellow brothers and sisters and grace to forgive when I should forgive.  I love you Lord and ask that we all behave more like Joseph and Mary believing Your Truth and not the worlds.  Amen

Sweet blessings,

Debbie