A Christmas Surprise

When I think about the Christmas story, I have a kind of mixture of the two gospel accounts. This year I am looking closely at each separately. It has been a meaningful devotional approach. Matthew focuses on the message that came to Joseph. We are familiar with the story. Mary and Joseph are engaged to be married. According to Jewish law and engagement was more legally binding than in our society. The period of engagement was as formal as a marriage contract. Mary and Joseph were engaged, but before they came to live together Mary by the agency of the Holy Spirit came to be with Child. Joseph must decide what to do. The passage describes Joseph as a righteous man, which would indicate that he was one who closely followed Jewish law. He we are told decided to end the engagement quietly without subjecting Mary to a public trial, and all the humiliation that would bring. As he was thinking about what he was going to do, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph and let him in on what was going on. Why didn’t God send the angel just a little bit sooner? I mean in Luke's account Mary is told before she is with child. Zechariah before, Abraham before.....why is the angel late with Joseph. Sure it would still have been difficult to believe, but at least there would be the element of prophetic fulfillment, it could have eased his conscience. Not to mention the fact that the Angel waited until he had already decided to end the engagement.