357 – Are You a Champion?

#faithbites #faithjourney Champion

Imagine this. You are engaged to a woman. You both decided to wait until marriage to have relations. The day of your wedding is approaching and your fiance’ tells you she is with child. How do you feel? What do you do? When you press her for answers, she says the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit. I don’t know about you, but I would be pretty hurt, disappointed, skeptical, and upset.

This is the situation that Joseph found himself in. The bible doesn’t tell us much about him or his situation. We know that he almost broke off his engagement. A visit from an Angel in his dream changed that. Then he became Mary and Jesus’ champion. There was no doubt, no name calling, no throwing her under the bus. Just true belief in his God.

Do you have the stuff to be a champion when throwing someone or something under the bus is much easier?

Scripture

• Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:18-21
• When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. – Matthew 1:24
• Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15

Reflection

I have been in situations where I have turned on someone. I didn’t believe them, talked about them behind their back, and didn’t listen to what was right. When I think about those times, I am sickened. I wasn’t being a Champion for the person, let alone for God.

In the Timothy verse, we are approved by God and shouldn’t be ashamed if we are doing what he commands by his word. We are called to be his Champion as well as the Champion of the needy. (Deuteronomy 15:11)

I have tried to put myself in Joseph’s shoes many times. No matter what I do, I don’t know if I could have as much faith as he did. Maybe a angel would come to me and tell me what was right and that would help. I can say that I have had wild dreams, that I believe are God’s whispers directing me where I need to go.

Let us think about Joseph and his belief in the Lord as we face challenges this holiday season and beyond.

Charge

This one is simple. Believe in the Lord with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul. You will find yourself in situations that you can’t explain or understand. God will be there to direct you and give you a messenger.

Lord, help me to be a Champion for you and others. Give me the strength to make the hard choices like Joseph and follow your word always.