December 15, 2020
Matthew 1:20—Joseph
“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’”. Matthew 1:20
Today’s society seems to encourage us to be decisive; to plow ahead; to jump in with both feet. We are asked to multi-task and meet ever more demanding deadlines. Taking time to “consider” something often seems like a luxury we cannot afford. Joseph was considering a quiet divorce of Mary; a decision that he was obviously wrestling with. Rather than impulsively acting, he took time. Other translations use the words “thinking of”, “pondered” and “meditated on”. These are all actions that cause us to slow down before we do something rash.
Perhaps the season of the pandemic has been a little like the season of Advent in that it forced us to slow down and wait. As with many of you, I had projects I was forced to “put on the back burner” for a while. Now, when revisiting those, I am not as certain that they were what God was calling me to do. As we get ever closer to the manger, may we all pause and ponder. What direction does God want us to take as we emerge from our waiting? In what new and wonderful ways will the Holy Spirit guide each of us in the decisions we are pondering?
Prayer: Gracious and discerning God, we are thankful that you already know what our hearts are pondering. Guide us that we, individually and as your church, may take time to “consider” this Advent season and be open to the Holy Spirit directing our decisions and our meditations. Amen
Lynne Rayl