Joseph & Plans

"But God is present in reality no matter what unreality our practices and our ponderings imply. He is forever trying to establish communication; forever aware of the wrong directions we are taking and wishing to warn us; forever offering solutions for the problems that baffle us; forever standing at the door of our loneliness, eager to bring us such comradeship as the most intelligent living mortal could not supply; forever clinging to our indifference in hope that someday our needs, or at least our tragedies will waken us to respond to his advances.

The Real Presence is just that, real and life-transforming. Nor are the conditions for the manifestation of his splendors out of the reach of any of us! Here they are; otherness, openness, obedience, obsession."

From The Captivating Presence by Albert Edward Day

I imagine Joseph had a hard time in the months leading up to his first Christmas. I know how much I like things to go according to the plans I have laid out. I think Joseph did too. When his beautiful young fiancee tells him, "Joe, I'm pregnant, and it's not yours." I'm sure his world crumbled. All his plans *poof* disappeared.

Yet look what God did in that situation! If Joseph had followed through on his contingency (divorce Mary and move on), imagine what he would have missed out on: The message from the angel, the trip to Bethlehem, the wisemen and camels, not to mention being the father of Jesus!

It's frustrating when things don't go my way. Whether it's the closing date on my new home (was supposed to be Friday, now...???), or the time I get to leave the office (always either too early or too late), or whatever other plans get messed with throughout the week, Joseph's story is encouraging for me.

Sometimes God needs to rescue us from our own plans; we need to be saved from our own self-assuredness. Edward Albert Day's alliteration aside, I believe it is God's ultimate hope for us to trust enough to relax, lean back, and let God set the course.