Mary and Joseph had four big decisions to make early in their marriage…

1. Bethlehem  Luke 2:1-5

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world… So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.”

Sometimes the Lord God will use something really unusual to steer our paths and make our decisions. In this case, a government census to literally move Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem to fulfill Micah 5:2. 

2. Egypt Matthew 2:13-14

“An angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt.”

Here the Word of God was spoken clearly through the Angel to Joseph, the husband and father, who listened attentively and then acted immediately. Almighty God allowed him the opportunity to be part of rescuing his wife and baby from danger as well as being part of fulfilling the prophecy of Hosea 11:1. 

3. Israel Matthew 2:19-20

“But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel…”

Once again, the Word of God was communicated with clarity and grace through the Angel to Joseph who once again listened, obeyed and mobilized his young family on another big journey. 

4. Nazareth Matthew 2:22

“Then after being warned by God in another dream, Joseph left for the regions of Galilee, and brought Mary and Jesus to live in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.””

And again, God’s Word was shared through the Angel to Joseph, husband of Mary and father of Jesus, who once again listened, obeyed and brought his family to live in the same village that they had left years before.  

The decision making pattern here is primarily recognizing and then obeying the Word from God. 

This remains true today:  Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Consider:  How does God speak to you?                                                                                                  Pray:  Ask God to speak to you through His Word as you invest time reading and meditating