Matthew 2:13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

It’s interesting that the two most famous Josephs in the Bible, in Genesis and here, were both dreamers who heard from God that way. God uses different means to speak to different people, and to the same person at different times, so it takes sensitivity and practice to be able to recognize Him successfully. We first learn of this Joseph when he is struggling with how to break off his engagement to Mary without putting her in danger of being stoned to death. (Matthew 1:19) It took a great deal of faith to accept what he was told in a dream at that time, (Matthew 1:20-21) but he acted on it, and subsequent events had convinced him he had heard and acted correctly. I would guess that he didn’t hesitate when he had this dream! It wasn’t an easy one to obey, but God had supplied the resources necessary through the magi, and their arrival, as well as the manner of their departure, had prepared Joseph for this dream, I’m sure. Most of us don’t have such dramatic experiences of being guided by God, but that doesn’t mean He hasn’t been guiding us, or at least been trying to do so. We tend to miss guidance from one fundamental reason, and that’s looking at ourselves and our circumstances more than we look at God. If our focus is on how much He loves us and on loving Him in return, then we will be quick to hear and obey however He speaks to us. If we don’t trust His love, then we will be suspicious of His guidance. If we are focused on ourselves, then we won’t believe we can follow His guidance. It has been said repeatedly by many people, but where God guides, He provides, whether it is ability, resources, or whatever. Just as God supplied Joseph with travel money through the magi, He provides everything we need to be obedient to Him, if we will open our eyes and our hearts to recognize it.

I’ve never been much of a dreamer, but it has been my great joy over the years to hear the Lord through His Word and also through prophecy, sometimes through my own mouth and sometimes through others. I wish I could say that I’ve always been as obedient as Joseph was! However, I have an assurance that God is speaking to me, to the point that I have trouble relating to those who can’t seem to hear God at all. He talks to all his children! I had the huge advantage of having parents who both loved me and talked with me, and not just on the level of “Clean your room!” They also loved God and sought to hear and obey Him, and those things combined to give me an expectation of hearing from God. That’s such a blessing! A major part of my task as a pastor has been and continues to be encouraging and training the believers to listen to God. He does speak through me often enough, but I certainly don’t want them thinking that’s the only way they can hear from Him! Whether it’s dreams, visions, reading the Bible, or that “still, small voice,” I want them to expect God to speak to them, to look forward to it, and to hear clearly when it happens, so that individually and as a body we may do His will on His schedule for His glory.

Father, thank You for this clear Word that dovetails so perfectly with what You had already shown me I was to share in the message tomorrow. Guide me now in putting it all together in my notes, and guide me tomorrow as I share it, that Your Word may have its full work in each heart, sharpening our spiritual hearing and lifting us out of the lies of the enemy to walk in all that You have for us, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!