Victory in Letting Go of Life-control

Victory in Letting Go of Life-control

Matthew 1:18-2:23

The events that happened during Jesus' birth is rich in symbols and profound spiritual meaning. In this narrative from Matthew there are two outstanding characters, Joseph and King Herod, who deal with control of their lives in very different ways. To understand these two characters, we need to think about their situation

Most people see and would have seen Herod the King as a ruthless tyrant. He was appointed by Mark Anthony to the throne and then later Caesar Augustus increased Herod’s power and privileges. Herod was not a descendent of King David and most people considered the family Herod to be half Jews. When Herod heard that a Jewish king who was from the line of David would be born soon, he worried that he would lose his power. Everything he had done to establish his kingdom would have been for nothing.

Although Joseph did not have a kingdom to lose, he did have his future at stake. This was his wife who would later have his children to continue his name and take care of him in his old age. Joseph had waited a long time to marry Mary and then to find out that she was pregnant would have been shamefully devastating. It is little wonder that Joseph wanted to divorce Mary.

Both Joseph and Herod had their lives and plans challenged. Joseph decided to stick to the laws and cultural norms of those days and divorce Mary. Herod decided to fight back to keep his kingdom using violence. In the world, we can either fight or flee to survive or be victorious. Yet, there is another way to victory which is to fight or flee, and that is to surrender to God.

Joseph was planning to divorce Mary, but an angel gave Joseph assurance to go ahead and keep to the marriage because the baby was from the Holy Spirit. Joseph relented and accepted God's plan over his own plans

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:19-20 ESV

Herod chose to fight. He did not change his plans even though he recognized this child as from God. In Matt 2:3, we read that Herod calls the child “the Christ”.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."

Matthew 2:3-4, 8 ESV

When we place more value on our plans and less on God's plans, we suffer. We need to plan. Indeed, we have been given the power to plan; however, we must understand that God is sovereign. A person who understands and accepts God is sovereign will be able to respond like Joseph.

There is a temptation to use resources in a way that God did not want us to use them. We can use our resources for our plans and purposes and not to God's plans. These resources include our talents, abilities, skills, wealth, positions and time. Herod had many resources at his disposal and used them to benefit Herod the King and his family. Joseph's great treasure was his wife to keep his bloodline, yet Joseph risked being married to a pregnant woman who was not carrying his child. Joseph respected God's sovereignty whereas Herod did not. This is why Joseph could react the way he did.

In our lives, we tend to make decisions to maintain our plans, but if we listen to the Holy Spirit, we do not feel comfortable. These are signs to us to make us aware we are aligned to God’s plans.

When we surrender to God, God will intervene in our lives to the challenges ahead and fulfill His sovereign will. Also, our experiential knowledge of God allows us to follow God more. We see this in Matt 2:13-14.

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt
Matthew 2:13-14 ESV

Joseph is quick to obey. Now Joseph knows that God is in control and has peace because of this. God wants control of our lives for our wellbeing and to allow his sovereign will to happen. Great things happen when we permit God to take control of our lives.

Life can easily demand control of our lives, so it is easy to become caught up in this world and ignore God’s will. Yet, there is victory in letting go of control and letting God reign our lives. Let us be like Joseph and surrender all to God.