What if?

Reading in Matthew 1 and 2 tonight, the story of Jesus birth, I had a what if thought.  God has given people free will, which means that Mary and Joseph were both free to say no to the Holy Spirit - with the pregnancy, Mary could have said no.  What if God had purposed his son to come earlier in history, but human disobedience and unwillingness to surrender made Mary the first to consent?

And what if Joseph had said no? What if Joseph had said no anywhere a long the journey?  What if he had divorced her as was his original thought?  What if he had not listened to the angel?  What if Joseph had not listened to the angel of the Lord  to flee to Egypt?  Jesus might not have been spared, and prophesy would not have been fulfilled.  What if Joseph had not harkened to the dream with the angel of the Lord to go to the land of Israel?  Or if he had not heeded the warning from the dream to stay out of Judea?  What if he had not decided to go to Nazarene?

Praise God that they were both obedient, but what is time is prolonged because God's chosen are not willing to be obedient to His voice?  What if there are missed opportunities - could you imagine getting to Heaven and realizing you could have been the mother of the Son of God if you had only been willing to submit?  Could you imagine learning that God wanted you to be the stepparent to His Son, but you thought she was lying?

I want to walk in that faith.  To be willing to say "Yes, God it seems improbable, but I will."  "Yes God, it is going to rock my world, but I will."  "Yes God, people are going to say bad things about me, and think bad thoughts of me, but I will."  "Yes God, I will uproot my life to protect the plan You have, I don't know where I am going, but I will." 

I want to be that God focused.  I want to hear that voice or have that dream, and know that beyond my human doubts, God is speaking to me.  I want to know that God is directing my steps, even when they don't make sense. 

I want to see a world, where all believers are tuned in to the what ifs.  What if God wants to use me?  What if there is a gift inside of me that could alter history and change the world for His kingdom?  What if I have to set aside my agenda so that God can do a work through those around me?  What if we all said Yes, God."