By Bethany Bell
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.
Matthew 2:13-14
When I read this verse I could relate to it on many levels. But what kept coming back was trust and control, and boy do I have some control issues. The angel of God didn’t come to Mary in a dream and say wake Joseph and flee to Egypt because the paranoid ruler is coming after your baby. He visited Joseph. He told Joseph and then Joseph told Mary. And from what we know about Mary she trusted Joseph completely and followed him that night and fled to Egypt.
There have been many times in my marriage where I haven’t responded in the same way. It’s always a million questions, a lot of “are you sure?”, or “don’t you think God would talk to me too if this was so important for our family?” But sometimes the message God gives isn’t for both but for one of us. This Lent I have been striving to relinquish control on some of the household tasks my fingers don’t really need to be in and to spend more time on the tasks I am responsible for. It is hard! Mary gives me comfort though because in this sorrow I can see how it looks to live out perfect humility and obedience.
I hope you can find comfort in this sorrow as well. If you are currently displaced from your home, Mary knows that sorrow and feels it with you. If you are fleeing for safety, Mary knows that sorrow and will comfort you. If you need help giving up control and trusting, Mary is the perfect example of that in this sorrow. Find comfort in knowing you have a perfect role model to turn to.
