Sometimes a single phrase in a passage of Scripture can make a major difference.  For example, when the angel appeared to Joseph to tell him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt, Matthew 2:14 tells us,  "¹⁴That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, Matthew 2:14 NLT (Emphasis added.)  THAT NIGHT....  Joseph didn't wait until morning.  He didn't wait until the banks opened and he could withdraw his funds.  He didn't wait until the garden matured and he could take fresh vegetables with him.  THAT NIGHT he left for Egypt.

How hard that must have been after two years of reestablishing himself and his family in a new town.  In Nazareth where Joseph and Mary lived before Jesus' birth, the constant "looks" and comments behind their backs must have been extremely difficult.  Mary and Joseph were seen as having broken the Law of Moses when Mary got pregnant BEFORE they "came together" as a couple.   Then when the census required them to go to Bethlehem to register, they had stayed there.  Nearly two years later, it's reasonable to assume they had established a new life, where folks respected Joseph, the carpenter, and Mary, his young wife and Jesus, their toddler son.  Now it was time to leave.  The angel had been clear, "Get up!"  There was no time to spare and no margin for error.  Couldn't the angel have come a few days earlier?  Of course, but in God's timing urgency was part of the process.

What about us?  How effective are we at discerning and doing God's will in the urgent and important moments of life, when delay means disobedience?  While the Proverbs lift up the virtue of planning, times come in life when he (or she) who hesitates IS lost.  How do we know the difference between those urgent and important moments and when we're just being spontaneous or compulsive?  The short answer is sometimes we don't, but often we will IF we're listening to God.  An angel visited Joseph.  The Son of God has visited us!  We have His words and directives, AND we have the indwelling Holy Spirit who leads and guides us when we listen.

As we go about this day, (and the night to come), the key is to listen and obey.  Listen as we read God's word and do what it tells us.  Listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and do what He tells us.  We may never have as dramatic a command from God as Joseph, but this much is sure:  when God tells us to do something, at times our response time can mean the difference between success and failure, even life and death!  Let's live today with ears that hear and hearts that obey!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your faithfulness and for speaking to us through Your Word and Spirit.  Fill us anew with that Spirit that we may hear Your voice and obey without hesitation so You may be glorified and Your eternal Kingdom may advance.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.