A Love Story

Mary and Joseph...

Sometimes relationships can be very hard. But there is a key component that can make even the most difficult of situations so much easier. And that is living life with the single focus of growing in relationship with Jesus. When we seek to live a life that honors God, and we ask for His wisdom and guidance in making our decisions, we tend to make right decisions, and our life reflects the fruit of our relationship with Him. The story of Mary and Joseph’s love and marriage reflects the integrity two individuals brought to a romantic relationship.

In Luke 1:28, an angel appears to Mary and tells her she has found favor with God. Whenever I read that God ‘found favor’ with someone in the Bible, I pause. What is it about a person that causes God to find favor? Surely it must be a surrendered heart willing to love, honor, and trust God in, and for, all things. When the angel appeared to Mary, she was engaged to marry Joseph. Instead of worrying about what her pregnancy might mean in her relationship with him, she eagerly accepted God’s call on her life. Mary said “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said,” (Luke 1:38). “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” (Luke 1:46-47). That is uncompromising, selfless devotion to God; the kind of devotion that develops through a consistent, intimate relationship with God over time. And one that is so important to have when entering into a relationship.

When Mary tells Joseph the news of her pregnancy, she has returned from visiting her relative Elizabeth for about three months. It’s possible that Joseph thought Mary had been unfaithful to him; can you imagine the range of feelings he must have felt? Pain, betrayal, confusion? Customary for the time, breaking an engagement was similar to today’s divorce. It was a man’s right to put away his fiance, even with public disgrace and/or having her stoned to death. But Matthew 1:19 tells us Joseph was a righteous man who did not want to publicly disgrace Mary, so he planned to break the engagement quietly, and in doing so, offered her compassion, mercy, and grace. (Why is it when people break up today, they sometimes want to get revenge, hurt, and or humiliate the one they used to love?) An angel then appeared to Joseph in a dream and confirmed what Mary had told him. The angel told him not to fear taking Mary to be his wife. I like this reminder not to be afraid when God asks us to do something that may not make sense or may take us out of our comfort zone. There is peace in being in God’s perfect plan and will for our lives. Scripture also teaches that Joseph was not to have sexual relations with his wife until after the birth of Christ. I think that speaks to us that serving God sometimes requires sacrifice and discipline, but there is beauty in doing so. In Joseph’s obedience to God, he married Mary, giving her the love and protection of a husband, and for Jesus, the dignity of an earthly father. He cared for Mary tenderly as she gave birth to Jesus.

As singles, Mary found favor with God and Joseph lived as a righteous man. These two began a marriage relationship with the proper foundation; they both sought to live life in a way that honors God first. As a result, they were able to lovingly understand and support one another, even if it seemed difficult. This is the kind of relationship that God offers each of us. He wants intimate fellowship with, and devotion from, us. When our desire becomes Him, He places desires in our heart that He delights in fulfilling. His love, compassion, and grace can flow through us, if we allow, and may impact others in a significant way.