By Shannon Marshal

What is your favorite Bible story? Every story about God doing something is associated with a person or persons. God uses people. The work of God takes people. God wants to use you. He is up to something in your life. “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2: 10) In Matthew chapter 1, we read the story of God using Joseph. Joseph had a huge part in the Christmas Story. It wasn’t easy what Joseph did. Many are not being used by God because it is not always easy.

First, the problem with the familiar. What was so hard for Joseph? The familiar. All the billions of people on the planet got here the same way, except Jesus.  Joseph had to let go of the familiar and follow the Lord’s command. The familiar is our comfort, routine, control, knowledge, and context.

Second, a place of faith. David wrote in Psalm 20: 7, “Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses.” We either walk in fear or faith. We must be willing to trust our future in His hands. The why, what, when, how, and where are up to Him. “For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1: 20) Joseph had to trust God.

Third, a pin to find. We may drop a pin in finding directions to a place or point we want to go, but God doesn’t drop pins. God doesn’t always tell you where you are going. God does tell you the place. It is not about what you know but more about the one you know. It is less about a destination and more about the journey. The joy of the journey is walking with Him.

Fourth, a plan to follow. Joseph followed the plan God had for him. “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.” (Matthew 1: 24-25)