I'm grateful that seasons come and go.
I'm grateful that this too shall pass... eventually.
And
I'm grateful that even in this season I can hear the Lord's voice and live in peace.
With that being said, I wanted to take a few minutes to share something the Lord was speaking to my heart this week, that in turn challenged me to be grateful in a new way.
I've started reading the Gospels again. It's funny because I've read through them many times, but overtime I open them back up and I am drawn to a new portion. Yesterday it was the first chapter of Matthew.
If you've ever read Matthew then you know that the first chapter is a list of descendants. Now that I've said that you're probably wondering what was so deep about reading a list of names... and to be fair, I was wondering the same thing when I was getting emotional reading it (😂). So I kept reading to see if I'd find some clarity for the emotions.
And I've come to the conclusion that this is a two-fold answer...
HERITAGE & OBEDIENCE
This long list (let's be honest it's not as long as some of the other lineages listed in the Bible lol) that connected each name to another ends with Joseph, the husband of Mary and the earthly father of Jesus. A man that doesn't get much reference and a Bible character not paid much attention. And yet, a key player in the life of Jesus. His choices helped build the foundation of this life changing story.
You see, Joseph had options to ignore the voice of God and continue living a "normal" life. In his short portion of the gospel stories he heard from the Lord several times... each time Joseph had to decide to trust and obey, or to do it his own way. But Joseph, a normal man with an extraordinary heritage chose overtime to be obedient to the voice of God.
This is important because imagine this:
Joseph is engaged to Mary who tells him she's been impregnated by the Holy Spirit. He wants to cut off their engagement but has a dream where the Lord tells him to stick it out... what if he didn't? What if fear of opinions and culture were too scary to face? What effect would that have had on this crucial story?
What if Joseph ignored the dream of warning to escape Bethlehem and go to Egypt because it was too much work to pick up and go? Would the narrative of Jesus' life have been different?
Joseph was chosen by God to carry this role, for he was positioned in the lineage that was prophesied to bring forth the Savior. BUT Joseph also had to choose to step in to that calling. His choices didn't just have an effect on him and Mary, but touched all of history... and will continue to do so.
And that, right there, is what stuck out to me in the first chapter of Matthew! Joseph could choose to obey and honor his calling and the heritage from which he came, or ignore it.
Our choice to be obedient, even in the hard and uncomfortable have an effect on our heritage. The generations after us will feel the ripples of our choices. They may not know our name, we may not be remembered, but they will feel the ripples of our choices.
Because of that, today I am grateful for the reminder that EVERY . SINGLE . CHOICE I make matters. Big or seemingly small, there will be an impact. And everytime I choose to be obedient, no matter how hard it is or who is pushing against me, I make a ripple that can change the world.
I'm grateful for Joseph and his choices to obey. I am grateful for his willingness to be who God called him to be. And I'm truly inspired by his bravery today. May we all strive to carry a little bit of Joseph in our decision makin from now on.
Things I was grateful for this week:
- Video chats with family and friends
- God is a God of justice AND mercy
- Fresh food
"Grateful: (adjective)
warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful" - Dictionary.com
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