God Speaks to the Heart of Joseph: Matthew 1:18-25

I have heard it said that Joseph is a minor character in the whole story of Jesus. But I find that off-base. Joseph was every bit as intentionally chosen as the earthly father of Christ as Mary was chosen. We see this from the start of Matthew’s gospel.

It is through the line of Joseph that Jesus claims his descendance from David, one of the key points of the prophesies of the Savior (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Joseph’s full acceptance of Jesus as his son was obviously carried out in the way that he cared for him and his wife through the early years. We suppose that Joseph died sometime after the temple visit and before Jesus began his ministry. But Jesus is known as the son of a carpenter (Matthew 13:55) and not the one who was different from the others. Joseph obediently followed God’s word to him from the start of this relationship.

God speaks to us

When Joseph considered divorce, he was visited by an angel in his dreams. It is fascinating that God moved as soon as Joseph considered something He did not desire. How often do we feel that nudge to do differently than we are thinking but convince ourselves otherwise? The Spirit in us will speak so much more readily when we train ourselves after the pattern of submission. God speaks today as he did to Joseph and Mary. He doesn’t have to use such measures as angels now since we do have His Spirit in us.

God uses various ways to speak

It is curious too that God spoke to Joseph in a dream rather than the magnificence of the angel coming in person. It would seem that God meets us in ways that work the individual. There is no one-size-fits all in interacting with God. I do not recall dreams, but Joseph obviously did. Then again, I think if God speaks in a dream, then we will know it. We will know the difference in our hearts as our spirit communes with the Holy Spirit to affirm this message. I have also heard that God dreams have special qualities and are unlike any usual dream. If God chooses to speak to us that way, He will be sure we remember.

Joseph is told much less about this child that will be his. I wonder, does that mean that Joseph was even more patterned in his heart to accept God’s will and surrender than Mary was? It makes sense since Joseph was likely much older and had more years to practice surrender. Perhaps it had more to do with the knowledge of scripture that Joseph had; it could be that he didn’t need as many details to understand the significance of what was being said.

God leads us

I find it so reassuring that since God spoke 2000 years ago, He will also speak to me today. What comes to me as I write is that God also spoke into the life of Joseph without much lead time. Joseph wasn’t given much time to prepare for what God had planned for him. Come to think of it, I was given a prophetic word that I would write one day, and totally blew it off. The messenger was one that I didn’t trust, Biblically speaking, and I always felt (and had been told at university) that my writing was average if not bad. Yet, here I am, writing most days of the week. That was close to 15 years ago. I had a long time to work up to it, but I was resistant. Is that why it took so long for God’s word to be fulfilled in me, well started in me? Joseph though didn’t have a choice on the timing of these God-events in his life. He surrendered and obeyed. The thing about this obedience though is that I get the feeling that he jumped in and followed; he didn’t grumble in his heart and drag his feet. His response to the Lord was immediate and I think this reflects how he carried out the word of God in his heart. Joseph must have had the right heart in his obedience, in his relationship with God or he would not have been chosen to guide young Jesus as his son. He is an example of God’s word leading us.