An Advent Devotional from Seacoast Church
December 15

Obedience In The Small Things

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. 
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…
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”
Matthew 1:20–21, 24–25 (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but this part of the Christmas story always clashes with my expectations of how God is supposed to work in my life. I expect that if I’m doing the right thing, it will be easier, more peaceful, and clear. This passage teaches me that my expectations don’t match reality.

Joseph was asked by the angel to deny his decision of divorce and have the faith to believe that God was at work. He had to deny the natural emotions of shame and disappointment, to step into a Calling that no man has EVER been tasked with—being the stepfather to the Son of God. …Wow.

Many times in life, God’s invitation to being used by him STARTS with steps that don’t make sense.

It could look like:

  • giving up your Sunday ritual of sleeping in, to commit to being in church.
  • extending forgiveness to a family member who has hurt you in the past.
  • helping a co-worker that others avoid.
  • asking for help when it means you have to sacrifice your pride.

What can we learn from the life of Joseph that gave him the strength to do what seems so difficult? Matthew 1:19 describes him as “faithful to the law.” His ability to be faithful to the commands of God that were clear, gave him the ability to respond to the voice of God in things that may have seemed unclear.

So today, I want to challenge you with this: obedience is formed in the small things. It’s a muscle that’s developed over time that can grow into us taking huge leaps of faith that defy what we can see and allow us to step into God’s Call on our life. 

Come experience one of our Christmas Eve candlelight services as we remember the birth of Jesus with music, a message, and fun.
See Service Times