Finding Purpose 

"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15, NKJV).

But while he thought about these things, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name, JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21, NKJV).

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38, NKJV).

Often, the Lord speaks to us in the most unusual ways. Encounters with the Lord happen in the beauty of nature, while driving down the highway, in morning quiet time, in dreams, during nighttime prayers, and even in the waiting room of a doctor's office. I believe the Lord responds quickly to prayers that align with your Kingdom assignment. For example, yesterday in the doctor's office waiting room, I prayed for wisdom about purpose. The Lord promptly shared His thoughts on the life of Joseph, husband to the precious Virgin Mary.

Pause for a moment and read through Matthew 1 and 2. My favorite Bible version, the New King James Version, includes important details in the Gospel of Matthew. We read about Joseph and his role in the life of Mary, his betrothed, and ultimately his role in the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 1, Joseph, "a just man", had a dream during which "an Angel of the Lord told him not to fear, to take Mary as his wife, that the baby was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and that He will save His people from their sins", (Matthew 1:20-21, NKJV.) From this example, we see that a life of purpose must first be grounded in Personal Integrity. Joseph clearly lived a life marked by strong faith that allowed him to recognize, accept, and follow a Word from the Lord. His personal relationship with the Lord as a man of faith placed him in a divinely assigned role in the Kingdom of God.

Later in Matthew 1:24-25, (NKJV), we witness Joseph demonstrating the next element of a life with purpose, Relational Integrity. Scripture states that "he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her first-born Son. Joseph maintained clear boundaries with Mary including abstaining from sexual relations while he also showed love, respect, and compassion for her. In addition, he trusted Mary to travel without him to the home of Zacharias and Elizabeth. Scripture tells us that Mary remained there for three months then returned to her house, as recorded in Luke 1:39-56.

Joseph demonstrated a third aspect of purpose, Cultural Integrity. In Luke 2, we see that Joseph took Mary, his very pregnant wife, on a long journey from Galilee to Bethlehem of Judea, to register according to the law. Joseph showed honor, insight, and respect for the law and authority of the land even when travel was difficult and expensive. He may have also endured scorn, anger, and criticism from family and friends who were aware of Mary's pregnancy prior to their marriage. Even so, Scripture reflects that Joseph displayed steadfastness and righteousness as he fulfilled the legal requirements of their culture. We also know that Jesus attended synagogue regularly and worked as a carpenter. Maybe we can assume that Joseph, as the earthly father of Jesus, taught Jesus critical cultural habits like worship, synagogue attendance, study of Scripture, as well as good work habits and the importance of learning a trade.

Finally, we see that Joseph embraced his life purpose with Spiritual Integrity. In Matthew 1 and 2, we read that Joseph heard from the Lord in four different dreams. When he heard, he recognized the voice of the Lord, and he obeyed quickly. We have read about the purity and favor of Mary, and it seems likely that the Lord handpicked Joseph as an excellent match for Mary in view of his Spiritual Integrity. Joseph thought about his actions toward Mary and did not react in anger or act without reflection and prayer. Instead, he remained humble, steadfast, promptly obedient to the Lord's instruction, tenacious to his God-given assignment, and unwavering in his fear of the Lord.

Food for thought: These four elements of purpose have challenged me to consider the posture of my heart. I challenge you to review Scripture and consider the Lord's purpose for your own life. How do these elements apply to you?

Personal Integrity: How do you describe your relationship with the Lord? Are there areas for improvement? In what ways do you sense the call of the Lord on your purpose?

Relational Integrity: How do you see yourself in relation to others? Is there competition and comparison? Or do you run your own race and stay in your own lane? How do you show honor and respect for others?

Cultural Integrity: How do you uphold or remain steadfast in your obedience to the Lord in today's world? What tips can you share with others just starting a journey of faith?

Spiritual Integrity: How do you hear from the Lord? Like Joseph, do you hear in dreams or visions? Do you hear from the Lord in other ways? If so, how? Share an example of how you acknowledge and walk out your God-given assignment. Do you act promptly in obedience to the Lord? What happens when you do not?

May you find and walk out your Kingdom purpose with joy, peace and strength, in the name of Jesus!