…..Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20 NIV
While they were there, the time came for the child to be born. Luke 2:6 NIV
Dearest brothers and sisters, it is with joy that we reach out to you at this time of the year with great thankfulness in our hearts for all that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, has done through every one of you, amen!
In the story of Joseph in Matthew chapter one, we see that he had a plan, and that plan was to divorce her quietly. (v19) We can all have our own plans, our own agendas, but we need to know the plan of God for our lives, because ultimately it will affect others!
Nobody likes to appear vulnerable or appear to others as vulnerable, but that is exactly what Joseph did, he became vulnerable. How? He laid down his own plans! His plan was to divorce Mary quietly, to send her away. He went to bed that night with the intention of putting his plan into action the following morning, however he was not planning on getting a visitation from the angel of the Lord whilst he slept! (v20)
The angel of the Lord assured and convinced Joseph that what was in Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit, wow! How did Joseph respond to this vision from heaven and word from the Lord? He laid down his own plan, he laid down his agenda, he laid down his own thoughts. Verse 24 tells us that when he woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him to do and took Mary home as his wife.
Talk about being vulnerable! He put aside all his plans and picked up the plan of God for his life. How selfless, what an example Joseph is. Joseph’s primary purpose was for others, for the benefit of others.
The Bible teaches us that there is a time, a season for everything, and in Ecclesiastes 3:2 it tells us that there is a time to be born, and so we see in our verse above from Luke 2:6, that the time came for Jesus to be born.
As a man, I know nothing about giving birth to a child! My wife Susan went through all of that, twice, and she could write a lot more about that than I ever could! One of the things I most remember is the midwife telling Susan sometimes to push when the baby was about due, and then other times telling Susan not to push.
I want to encourage you, like Mary, there are things on the inside of you, that have been conceived by the Holy Spirit, amen? God has impregnated you with His truth, every time you read His word He deposits a seed into your spirit, that in due season will produce a harvest. (Galatians 6:9)
Do not be in a hurry to push, to bring about the birth of God’s promises in your lives under your own strength, rest in Him and be confident that what He has spoken to you will come about in due season, because He who promised (you) is faithful, amen? (Hebrews 10:23)
Like Joseph, are you prepared to lay down your own plans, your own agenda, and pick up the plan of God for all areas of your lives? Are you willing to make yourself vulnerable before God and trust Him for your days?
Each and everyone of you are amazing. Thus far the Lord has brought you (1 Samuel 7:12) and He has got an amazing plan to take you even further, praise God! Susan and I thank God for your faithfulness to the ministry of Andrew and Jamie and look forward to seeing all that God will continue to do through you all, amen!
We want to wish you all a truly blessed Christmas and we look forward to catching up with you in 2024!
Love and blessings,
John & Susan