But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21 HCSB
As I write this devotional I am facing prostate cancer surgery. I have had five surgeries in my lifetime. There is a bit of fear of what will happen during and after any surgery. I have had many people say they are praying for me and some have actually stopped and prayed with me for peace and that the surgery will go well. These prayers have helped calm my fears.
Naturally, Joseph was afraid and did not want to proceed with the marriage. God knew what Joseph was feeling and sent an angel to tell him to not be afraid. The angel confirmed what Mary had told him concerning why she was pregnant. The angel also told him that the Child would be a Son and to call Him Jesus. Additionally, He would save His people from their sins. Put yourself in Joseph’s shoes and try to imagine what he was thinking and feeling. Mary had told him she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit, then an angel appeared and told him to go ahead and take Mary as his wife. Next he was told that the child would save His people from their sins. That is a lot to comprehend. The angel helped calm Joseph’s fears and doubts.
Challenge: Trust God when you have doubts and fears. He is in control and knows exactly what you are going through. You may not understand the why, but you can always trust God to do what is best in every situation, even when it does not seem to be good at the time.