⭐ Week 4 – The Light of Obedience
(Sunday Devotional)
Welcome to Week 4 of Christmas Lights. Today we step into Joseph’s story — a man whose life was interrupted by a divine assignment he never asked for and would never have chosen. Yet through his quiet courage and ready obedience, God invites us to see what faith looks like when it costs us something.
Matthew 1:18–25; Matthew 2:13–15; Matthew 2:19–23
🌟 Reflection — Obedience That Lights the Way
A black swan event is a metaphor for an unforeseen moment that crashes into someone’s life with massive, long-lasting impact. Some of these moments bring unexpected blessing. Some bring disruption, confusion, or loss. And most of the time, their meaning only becomes clear in hindsight.
This week, we look at a young man standing at the doorway of his future — a man whose life was reshaped by a black swan event of eternal proportions. Joseph, who will be the husband of Mary and the earthly stepfather of Jesus, is mentioned only briefly in Scripture, but what is recorded about him speaks volumes about his character, his faith, and the kind of obedience that God honors.
This week we’ll consider the unexpected moment that crashed into Joseph’s life — his perspective, his human response, his leap of faith, and God’s larger purpose at work beneath it all.
🌟 Reflection
Mary has just dropped a truth bomb of nuclear proportions — both good news and bad news.
The good news? An angel had visited her with a divine announcement. She would give birth to the Messiah.
The bad news? She was pregnant. She couldn’t explain how. And she knew Joseph would immediately assume the worst — because in every normal sense, the worst was the only explanation.
It’s not hard to imagine what could have been raging inside Joseph:
She lied to me.
She betrayed me.
How could she do this?
My life is ruined.
Everyone will judge us.
I can’t face my family.
Why didn’t God tell me?
I’m done.
Scripture doesn’t record Joseph’s internal monologue, but it does reveal his heart — and his character.
“Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.”
— Matthew 1:19 (NLT)
Joseph’s measured, compassionate response says more about this man than any of his thoughts could. He felt betrayed, but he chose mercy. He felt humiliated, but he chose protection. He had every legal right to expose her, prosecute her, and publicly clear his own name.
But he wouldn’t do it.
Breaking the engagement quietly would not erase the shame — for her or for him. It wouldn’t fix the situation or make it go away. It wouldn’t restore trust or explain the unexplainable. But it was the kindest option he could find in a world that offered him none.
And that is when God stepped in.
In the quiet of Joseph’s personal crisis, God sent an angel — not in an open visitation like Mary received, but in a dream, a private encounter tailored to Joseph’s heart:
“…do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”
— Matthew 1:20 (NLT)
And Joseph — this humble, righteous, ordinary man — responds in a way that challenges every believer:
He obeyed immediately.
No debate.
No delay.
No processing with his father or friends.
No seeking a second opinion.
No attempt to negotiate.
No “I need more clarity.”
Just obedience.
“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded…”
— Matthew 1:24
The circumstances didn’t change.
The gossip didn’t disappear.
The personal cost remained.
The uncertainty lingered.
The road ahead was still difficult.
So what changed?
Joseph did.
God’s perspective overturned Joseph’s plan.
God’s word replaced Joseph’s fear.
God’s calling replaced Joseph’s shame.
God’s purpose replaced Joseph’s confusion.
And the angel’s declaration reframed everything:
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.”
— Matthew 1:21 (NIV)
It wasn’t about Joseph anymore.
It wasn’t even about Mary.
It was about God’s plan, unfolding in their ordinary, complicated lives.
Joseph said yes to God’s plan.
He said yes to his calling.
He said yes to a future he could not possibly understand.
And then…
Joseph obeyed.
🙏 A Prayer
Lord, Thank You for the quiet courage of Joseph — a man who trusted You when the path made no sense. Teach me to obey You with the same humility, the same surrender, the same steady heart.
Where fear clouds my vision, help me trust.
Where my plans compete with Yours, help me surrender.
Where I hesitate, give me strength and resolve.
Let Your perspective reshape my own. Help me see through your eyes.
Strengthen me to obey quickly, joyfully, and fully.
I am Yours.
Amen.
🕯️ Response for the Week
Joseph’s obedience is a reminder that God want us to trust him. Joseph’s yes came at personal cost: the loss of reputation, the surrender of his plans, and the willingness to embrace a future he could not predict or fully comprehend. But this quiet, costly act of obedience positioned Joseph at the center of God’s redemptive story.
Obedience does that.
It lifts us out of our limited perspective and aligns us with the purposes of God. When we say yes — even in the dark, even with trembling hands — God moves us into places we could never reach through planning, logic, or strength. Sometimes the greatest miracles begin with a quiet, courageous, faithful yes.
Choose one of the reflections below to sit with throughout the week. Let it shape your prayers, challenge your thinking, and lead to real steps of obedience.
1. Where God Is Asking for a First Step
Think of one area where you know what God is asking, but you’re waiting for clarity before acting.
– What step could you take today in obedience, even without full understanding?
– What would trust look like in action?
Prayer Prompt: “Lord, give me courage to obey before I understand.”
Scripture: Proverbs 3:5–6
2. Where Obedience Feels Costly
Is there a place where saying yes to God feels like it will cost you something — reputation, comfort, security, habits, pride, or control?
– Why does this particular obedience feel hard?
– What fear is standing in the way?
Prayer Prompt: “Lord, help me trust that nothing I surrender to You is ever lost.”
Scripture: Luke 9:23–24
3. Where God Is Pulling You Into a Bigger Story
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where your perspective is too small — where you’ve been seeing only your own plans rather than God’s larger purposes.
– What might God be doing that is bigger than you realize?
– How is He inviting you to participate?
Prayer Prompt: “Lord, align my life with Your purposes — lift my eyes to see what You see.”
Scripture: Ephesians 2:10
🎁 A Gift to Share
If someone in your life might need encouragement this season—or if you’re participating as a family or small group—you’re welcome to forward these emails or invite them to subscribe:
👉 thisistheway.live
Sometimes the smallest invitation makes the biggest difference.
Read the full series here: https://thisistheway.live/t/christmas-lights