“Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” (Matt 1:19, NIV2)

Joseph had a good heart. He loved Mary, but once he discovered that she was pregnant, he concluded immediately that she had been unfaithful. Her story made no sense to him. Was she a lunatic? She didn’t look like one, but then what does a lunatic look like, anyway?

Despite this, Joseph had the decency to not expose her “sin”. If he had done so, according to the customs of the day, she would have been stoned to death. Instead, he decided to silently break their engagement, without letting anyone know. At least that way Mary wouldn’t be stoned!

His disbelief must have hurt Mary deeply. At the same time, however, she understood his reaction. Her whole story, even though completely true, seemed more like fabricated science fiction, which didn’t even exist in those days!

Despite his reaction, Mary decided to remain faithful to God and trust Him fully in what He was doing. There is no way He would let her suffer unduly, and she knew it. Everything would be all right!

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘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.'” (Matt 1:20, NIV2)

Mary was right after all! She hadn’t been unfaithful. She hadn’t fabricated some nonsense about her sin. She had been right all along!

“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” (Matt 1:24, NIV2)

Joseph, too, had a heart for obedience. He certainly loved this woman, and he immediately took her as his wife, before anyone else noticed that she was with child. God had been in this all along. Why had he doubted Mary?

Many years ago, I, too, had a dream. I was sixteen years old and was mesmerized by its content. I had a dream of a beautiful girl. She was so lovely. I then heard my Father say: “She will be your wife. Pray for her.” I kept that dream for years in my heart. However, once I attended university, I completely forgot about this dream. I wish that I hadn’t, for dating left and right left me wanting. I could have avoided a lot of heartache!

Then one day, I met my future wife. It was my first year as a professor in a college, and this lovely girl was signing up for my class. What was strange is that I had seen her before somewhere. I knew her. But how could it be possible? She had only just arrived from California.

Then I remembered the message I had received from God just a couple of months earlier: I would meet someone quite special from Los Angeles. When I discovered she was from that city, I was completely mesmerized. I knew from the first moment I saw her that she was the one.

It still bothered me, however, that I knew I had seen her before. But how?

Only years later, did I remember my dream when I was sixteen years old. This is where I had seen her: In my dream! Had I not received that dream, I may have missed the boat completely! God had other plans, and I too, preferred to follow His guidance rather than my own. After all the heartbreaks of dating, it was refreshing to find my soulmate.

We all have opportunities that God bestows upon us. However, too often we forget what He puts in our heart, and its then that we may tread on dangerous grounds. How many among us didn’t receive dreams and forgot them completely without hope of ever remembering them again? Imagine if Joseph had never married Mary. What would have happened to that poor girl? She would have had a child and no husband. Immediately she would have been falsely accused, mocked and criticized. She would have been considered a whore, someone to avoid at all cost! What a tragedy that would have been!

However our Heavenly Father was in charge, and there was no way He would let Mary be falsely accused. He had greater plans than the puny imagination of the critics.

Mary trusted God and God came through for her big time. Although my trust in God during my younger years was not as solid as Mary’s, He too brought me to my safe haven. He will do that for you too!

May we always remember to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Prov 3:5-8, NIV)

I had a dream…Savor it!

Rob Chaffart

(To access the entire “Faith to the Cause of Christmas” devotional series, please click here.)