What To Do

What do you do when you get up after a good (or poor for that matter) night’s sleep? Beyond that (brush your teeth), I mean.  I think there is a good example in that  passage of Scripture we call the “Christmas narrative.”

We don’t know much about Joseph, the husband of Mary, the person God chose to be the man in His Son’s life. I think we can safely assume Joseph did a good job in the rearing of Jesus. Luke tells us that Jesus “grew up and became spiritually strong.” (Luke 1:80) I can’t help but believe that Joseph had a vital part in that.

But early on, we get a sense of the kind of man Joseph was from this verse: Matthew  1:24 – “When Joseph got up from sleeping, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded.” Well, now, I should think that is exactly what we need to do when  we get up each morning. We may not have an angel speak to us during the preceding night, but we do have the constant witness of His Word (Scripture). From that Truth revealed, I wonder how our lives would change if, every morning, upon arising from our slumber, we chose to “do as the Lord commands.” Our job may not have the same intensity as Joseph’s. We may not have a task so vitally important. But we do have whatever it is that God has called us to, wherever it is that God has placed us, and to whomsoever God may send across our path each day.

Take this thought from the “Christmas narrative.” We have a calling from God – just as Joseph did. We have a task to complete – just as Joseph did. We have the opportunity to be successful in that venture –  just as Joseph did. Perhaps all we need, then, is to make that commitment each morning when we rise – Today, I will do what the Lord has commanded.