Joseph’s Faith Over Fear Day 13

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A quiet yes can change everything. Joseph’s story in Matthew 1:18–25 unfolds like a whispered revolution: a man caught between heartbreak and honor chooses mercy, hears God in a dream, and steps into a calling that will cost him reputation but lead him into redemption’s center. We walk through the text and the turning points his plan to shield Mary from shame, the angel’s charge to take her as his wife, and the charged act of naming the child Jesus seeing how each decision forms a blueprint for faith that moves even when the outcome is unknown.

We talk about obedience that looks ordinary from the outside but is fierce at the core. Joseph protects Mary, waits with restraint, and bears responsibility for a child he did not conceive, modeling spiritual fatherhood and integrity. The theme is simple and hard: faith over fear, compassion over optics, courage over control.

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, this reflection invites you to slow down and let Joseph’s life challenge your next step. Where do you need to choose mercy instead of judgment? What responsibility is God asking you to carry with courage? Spend a few minutes with this short devotional, pray with us at the end, and ask God for a steady heart that obeys. 

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Hello, hello.
This is Jesse Morgan Devotionsfor the Christian Heart Podcast.
Welcome, welcome.
This year I'm bringing my 25-dayChristmas devotional to life in
a new way.
Beginning on day 11 through day25, each devotional entry now
has a matching mini podcastepisode, a simple 8 to 10 minute
reflection designed to help youslow down and truly sit with the

(00:22):
story of Jesus' birth.
Each episode clearly follows thesame day as the written
devotional, so day 11 in thebook is day 11 on the podcast
and so forth.
My hope is that these dailyaudio reflections make the
journey to Christmas feel evenmore personal, peaceful, and
meaningful.
Thank you for being here.
Let's go.

(00:45):
Day 13, episode 80.
Matthew 1, 18 through 25 are thekey passages.
This is how the birth of Jesusthe Messiah came about.
His mother Mary was pledged tobe married to Joseph, but before
they came together, she wasfound to be pregnant through the
Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph, her husband, wasfaithful to the law and yet did

(01:07):
not want to expose her to publicdisgrace, he had in mind to
divorce her quietly.
But after he had consideredthis, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream andsaid, Joseph, son of David, do
not be afraid to take Mary asyour wife, because what is
conceived in her is from theHoly Spirit, she will give birth
to a son, and you are to namehim Jesus, because he will save

(01:28):
his people from their sins.
All this took place to fulfillwhat the Lord had said through
the prophet.

(01:54):
So as we wrap up that scripturereading, I want to call this
devotional Joseph's faith overfear.
Today we're looking at Josephand what a powerful example he
really is.
As we know, Joseph finds outMary is pregnant, and not by
him.
Can you imagine the thoughtsrunning through his mind, the
confusion, the hurt, thequestions?
But even in that moment, Josephchose compassion.

(02:16):
Scripture says he didn't evenwant to shame her, so he planned
to quietly divorce her.
But then the Lord stepped in andthe angel appeared to him and
said, Do not be afraid to takeMary as your wife.
And he told Joseph that thechild she was carrying carrying
was from the Holy Spirit, thatthe baby would be the son of
God, and that Joseph was the wasand that Joseph was to name him
Jesus.
And Joseph got up, tookresponsibility, married her, and

(02:39):
did exactly what God asked.
He named that baby Jesus.
Scripture even tells us that,tells us that he did not
consummate the marriage untilafter Jesus was born.
That shows the level of respecthe had for Mary for God and also
how intentional he was in makingsure no one could double, could
doubt that this child came fromthe Lord.

(02:59):
What I love about Joseph isthis.
But he did it anyway because hetrusted God.
This also reminds me of one ofmy one of a good friend of mine

(03:19):
that I have who's in arelationship where he has a
biological child, but he alsostepped in to love and raise his
partner's daughter as his own.
No one asked him to do it.
He didn't have to, but he choseto.
And he loves that little girl sodeeply that he wants her to have
his last name.
That kind of heart, that kind ofwillingness is rare, and it

(03:40):
reminds me so much of Joseph.
Sometimes God asks us to takeresponsibility for something
that isn't originally ours,something we don't fully
understand, something where theoutcome is completely unknown,
and that is where faith risesover fear.
As Christians, we know thisworld is challenging.
Being a child of God means youwill be questioned, criticized,

(04:02):
and stretched.
But the question is, will yourfaith overcome your fear and
your challenges?
So today, be a Joseph.
Choose obedience, choosecompassion, choose
responsibility even when thepath doesn't make fully a lot of
sense.
Appreciate this beautiful storythat leads us to the birth of
Christ.
And remember, we all will havechallenges.

(04:24):
We all will have fears, but wehave to have faith to overcome
it.
So, like I said before, let's bea Joseph today.
Let's pray.
Lord, thank you so much for theexample of Joseph, this
incredible man, a descendant ofDavid, who fulfilled his purpose
with humility and courage.
Thank you for this willing thankyou for his willingness to
choose faith over fear, toprotect Mary, to lead his

(04:47):
household, and to takeresponsibility for something
bigger than himself.
Help us to do the same asbelievers, to walk boldly, to
trust you fully, and to honoryou, Lord, in every single
decision that we make.
We love you and we praise you inJesus' name.
Amen.
God bless.
Until next time.
Thank you for listening.
This episode is part of myChristmas devotional series

(05:07):
inspired by my writtendevotional, Twenty Five Days
Till Christmas, ascriptured-filled journey
preparing our hearts tocelebrate the birth of Jesus.
I invite you to read along andreflect on his story in a deeper
way.
Details in the show notes forthe written devotional.
And it also says in scripture,glory to God in the highest, and
on earth, peace, goodwilltowards men.
Luke 2, 14.

(05:29):
And don't miss the nextreflection in this Christmas
series by subscribing to thepodcast to continue walking
through God's word this season.
And a little bit about me.
I'm Jesse Morgan, wife, mom, anddevotional writer and podcaster
who loves sharing biblicalencouragement and the hope we
find in Jesus.
Till next time, Jesse Morgansigning off.