Missing the manger - part 3

Joseph.

Now here is one guys who really could have missed the manger becasue it did not fit into "His" plan that year! This year as I reflected on the Christmas story and took a little longer look at the manger I couldn't help but see Joseph as a standout.

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 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."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Fiance comes up pregnant, you decided to divorce her quietly, an Angel tells you to take her as you wife instead, (none of which were on your "to do" list for the season), and then when it is all said and done - you OBEY!

Joseph obeyed...
Immediately: He did what the Lord asked him to do right then. Concern, maybe. Fear, probably. Doubt, for sure. Hesitation to trust and obey -none! Interesting.

Consistently: not only did he make a decision forthe then and now, but he made one that would be something he followed up on throughout his entire life.

I would like to be more like Joseph.