In this Advent message, Pastor Eric reflects on the story of Joseph finding out that Mary is pregnant with a baby that is not his, his response, and God's intervention to call him to a better way. In this brief story, we see a Joseph who would have had to process some difficult feelings in order to make some incredibly hard decisions. Given the challenge that many of us have with sitting with feelings of grief, fear, betrayal, anger and shame, Joseph--who would have felt all of this at the news of Mary's pregnancy--invites us to do just that in our own lives so that we can also make the hard, but necessary decisions to move into a new future with God and not remain stuck where we are.
Beyond the specific circumstances of Joseph's story, when have you found yourself with a deep conviction that you need to do something--need to act, to speak up, to tell the truth, to say what you really need--but struggled to do that thing because you were afraid? Afraid of the consequences? Afraid knowing there'd be no going back? Afraid of losing relationships or status or privilege? This, at its core, is the challenge facing Joseph. And it's the space into which this story invites each of us in our own Advent journeys.
