While we meditate on what Mary knew about Jesus, I wonder about Joseph.
Even if Mary had been willing to accept God’s Plan for her life, what if Joseph had not been willing to accept this very unexpected pregnancy?
At the heart of marriage is God’s common call to both people. So God did not give the remarkable call to Mary without confirming it to Joseph.
But before Joseph heard news from an angel, he got other news from Mary. That news was shocking … and devastating.
Joseph was sure he was going to marry a Godly woman. Now here she was, pregnant. And Joseph was quite sure he was not the father.
We don’t know what conversations took place between Mary and Joseph when she knew. Did he ask her who the father was? Did Mary tell him? Did he believe her?
Did he wonder how The Holy Spirit could impregnate his future bride? Did the thought of The Holy Spirit make him feel afraid he had somehow stumbled into an alien world?
All Joseph wanted to do was run away … divorce Mary quietly … and try to regain the predictable life he had had.
Matthew 1:19 records
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.
And then the angel came. The angel told Joseph,
“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
Joseph heard again what Mary had already told him. The Father of Mary’s child was THE Father … his Father God.
In that moment, Joseph knew that not only had Mary been chosen by God, but he also had been chosen. He was to raise The King of Kings. Could a man raise God, Joseph wondered.
How could that be?
The angel continued.
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him The Name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:24
Was Joseph’s head spinning by now? A boy … a man … who could forgive sins? Only God could do that.
The angel made it sound like his marrying Mary and becoming the responsible father of this extraordinary baby was a done deal.
And it sounded like the child’s “biological” Father had already picked the name.
Joseph said the name a few times.
“Jesus … Jesus … Jesus.”
Each time He said it, he felt himself becoming more sure. He didn’t know exactly what he was signing on for, but he knew he wanted to be with Mary and Jesus forever.
The tender moment of Joseph’s proposal to Mary was not recorded. But I like to think it was on a star lit night where a certain star was beginning to grow brighter.
The breeze that caressed both their faces was The Spirit, Who sang a sweet lullaby to the baby growing inside Mary.
