“…Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).
Mary is pregnant and Joseph knows that the baby isn’t his. How would we feel in this situation? Betrayed, heartbroken, enraged, humiliated? Scripture reveals details about Joseph’s character that God already knows. He’s a just man unwilling to put Mary to shame and plans to divorce her quietly. But an angel tells Joseph in a dream that this is no ordinary conception. They will have a son and shall call his name Jesus. When he names Jesus, Joseph fully accepts his role as father to the son of God.
God’s people had been expecting the Messiah from King David’s lineage. God fulfills his promise by calling not a king, but a poor carpenter to be the earthly father of Jesus. The angel reveals to Joseph a vastly deeper purpose: “He will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is a personal redeemer who forgives sin and reconciles anyone who believes in him to God the Father. There’s a danger in letting our imaginations run wild in how we think God should fulfill his promises. Scripture and the Holy Spirit must dictate our expectations.
Lord, grant us wisdom and discernment to recognize when our expectations aren’t grounded in scripture.
