Determined~

Matthew 1:19 “Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced.”

 

Last week Jorge and I were still talking about Joseph.  My own husband declared his admiration for him concluding, “He’s the better man!”  It is true that Joseph is praiseworthy, but even more importantly, he sets an example worth imitating.  There’s a key word in the verse above that shows us that we can all strive to be like Joseph if we want to, and that word is “determined.” 

 

In Joseph’s case he decided, he willed himself, he concluded he would do the right thing.  The Bible doesn’t say that Joseph took care of things quietly. It says he determined  to take care of things quietly, and there’s a big difference.  When you just up and do something, it implies it was a run-of-the-mill occurrence.  Like, “I took the clothes to the cleaners,’’ or “I went for a jog.”  But when you say, “I was determined to take the clothes to the cleaners,” it’s as if to say that nothing was going to get in the way of your taking the clothes to the cleaners.  When you say, “I was determined to go jogging,” it’s a proclamation that you know it will require hard work and effort.  Likewise, when Joseph said it, he knew it would not be easy.  He knew it would require putting aside his right to be hurt and put all his focus on the one who hurt him in the first place.  This, as the youth would say, is cray cray!

 

Let’s not forget that Joseph was made out of flesh and blood.  He was a human being with emotions and feelings.  He has just found out that the woman he is planning to marry is having a baby that is not his.  This is mind blowing to me.  Why would God put this in the Bible?  I believe that at least one reason is for you and me to understand the scope of goodness we are capable of when God is in our life.

 

When we allow God’s goodness to control our behavior, amazing blessings will follow.  Joseph became the earthly father of JESUS! 

 

What amazing blessings does God have in store for us?  Let’s ask Him to fill us up with the determination to do the right thing, and we will find out!

 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, It may not have seemed like it at the time, but You were setting up Joseph to be blessed beyond his wildest dreams.  Keep us mindful of our reactions because we too want to see awesome blessings in our lives.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN~