Read Matthew 2:3-15
SWEAT DRIPS off Joseph’s forehead onto the dust road. The afternoon sun glares off his back and onto the sandy landscape. A pebble has lodged itself in his sandal. He’d love to stop and take it out before a blister forms, but there are miles to go, and Mary has finally calmed a now two-year-old Jesus back to sleep after their donkey was spooked by a snake.
Not too long ago, life had seemed wonderful beyond their wildest dreams. They’d been blessed with rich gifts from several wise men who followed God’s star all the way from the East to see Jesus. The Messiah was here. Mary and Joseph had been specially chosen by God. It would be easy to assume Jesus would remember his earthly parents when the time came for him to overthrow the government and establish a new kingdom.
Then the warning came in the form of another dream. Despite doing his best to obey and explain to Mary their sudden need to flee the safety of their hometown, Joseph must have had questions rising within him with each step they took toward Egypt. What happened to the miracle? If Herod was threatening God’s Son, why didn’t God just strike him down? What were they to even make of all these dreams and angelic appearances?
I always find myself encouraged at this time of year— not just by the Nativity but by the many surrounding days that compose the season of Advent. Faith is easy when we’re in the middle of a breakthrough: that amazing job offer, a miraculous doctor’s report, the divine provision. But when life returns to the mundane, faith can become a challenge. Staying joyful as we go back to our jobs, washing dishes and clothes, and the many other tasks that clutter our lives, becomes the true test of faith. This is especially true when real, severe trial comes on the heels of the miraculous.
Attacks often come right after a spiritual high and place us on our own road to Egypt, calling us to test our confidence in the Lord. A miracle comes and reminds us of God’s wonderful presence—and then comes the plunge into difficulty and uncertainty. We find ourselves asking the same questions that would have likely come to Joseph: What happened? Why doesn’t God just fix this? Have I really heard from God?
Questions are natural. They can lead us to deepen our faith. When we take our questions to God, he draws near with comfort and answers. As Joseph looked back at Mary, he saw Jesus: the promise of the angel who appeared to him. God’s Word made flesh. Breathing. Fidgeting. Tangible proof that God did and would come through.
Through Joseph’s obedience, God would bring the family to safety in Egypt. Word would eventually reach them of what had occurred back in Bethlehem and turn into a testimony of divine intervention. As they remained there, Jesus would grow older. Immanuel would be with them, reminding them of the eternal presence of God and his promises. Waking up and sitting down to their morning meal with Jesus would be their reminder of God’s faithfulness, and eventually, they would come out of Egypt and fulfill the prophecy of Hosea.
As we find ourselves underneath the beating sun of suffering or trial, wondering what happened to the miracles, we may find ourselves struggling even in our obedience. Perhaps our questions feel like a swirling sandstorm obscuring the guidance of God.
But just as Joseph could look to the Son of God for encouragement, so can we. In the fulfilled promises of Advent, we find comfort. Though the road to our own Egypt may seem long and filled with sweat and stones, Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us.” In obedience, we can keep walking with our eyes on him, knowing that the cool breezes of the evening will eventually come and that the miracles have just begun.
Courtney Moody is a ballet dancer, writer, and poet of faith. Her publications include Ekstasis and The Way Back to Ourselves literary journal.
This article is part of A Time for Wonder, a 4-week devotional to help individuals, small groups, and families journey through the 2024 Advent season. Learn more about this special issue that can be used Advent, or any time of year at http://orderct.com/advent.
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