Have you ever found yourself in a circumstance that was unplanned and unexpected?
A broken marriage? An empty bank account with bills left to pay? A sick child? The loss of a loved one? Health issues?
Learning Mary would give birth to the Son of God was a very unexpected circumstance since she was betrothed to Joseph but not yet married. In John 1: 34, Mary asks the angel Gabriel “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”.
Yes indeed, an unplanned and unexpected circumstance.
Joseph who was known to be “faithful to the law” did not want to bring disgrace upon Mary, so in light of this unplanned circumstance he chose to divorce her secretly.
Many choices for this young couple to make in the midst of their unplanned and unexpected circumstance. Many choices that would seem reasonable to most.
But God.
In the midst of this unplanned, unexpected circumstance God provides.
In the gospel of John, we are told that Mary “was greatly troubled” at the announcement Gabriel made. But, he reassured her with the words “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God”.
Joseph is reassured in a dream when an angel of the Lord appears to him and tells him “do not be afraid to take Mary home as you wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit”.
In the midst of every circumstance we face God will assure us of His provision. Joseph and Mary trusted God’s assurance as well as the provisions He would make for their unplanned circumstance. While many of us would not see a manger as the ideal place to give birth or a feeding trough as the ideal crib to lay our newborn baby, God’s provisions are always perfect.
As you walk into a new year that will certainly be filled with circumstances that are unplanned and may catch you by surprise, remember God will not be surprised by it and He already has the perfect provisions in place for you to walk boldly through every encounter you face.
May you always see God’s provisions and plans for your life.