After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”  So he got up , took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.  Having been warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.  So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”  Matthew 2:19-23

This is the last portion of Jesus’ birth story recorded in the gospels.  Mary, Joseph and Jesus are now settled in Nazareth as the prophets had foretold and will remain there until He starts his ministry at about age 30.    This last account is linked to the previous parts of Jesus’ story by angelic guidance.  God sent his angel Gabriel to Mary to guide her into acceptance of her being chosen as mother of the coming Messiah.  An angel was sent to guide Joseph into keeping Mary as his future wife and knowing the future child would be the Savior, Jesus.  The angels guided the shepherds to worship the Savior.  The Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod.  An angelic messanger was sent to guide Mary, Jospeh to Egypt to escape murderous Herod. Finally, an angel was sent to guide them to a safe place to settle, Nazareth.

What does this story tell us about God?  God is our guide and will direct us just as He did Mary and Joseph into the right path.  God leads us in the way we should go.  Today God uses His Word and His indwelling Holy Spirit to teach us how we are to live and think. Because God gives His children the Holy Spirit, they recognize His voice and follow Him.   We can trust God to lead us in the right way.  Without God’s guidance, we stumble and fall like people in the dark.   There are many promises in Scripture about God’s guidance. Here are two that I hold dear.   Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” 

How will you apply this knowledge of God being your guide today?  Will you pray and ask God for His help?  He can and does help us with physical, emotional and spiritual guidance.  Open His Word and read His words of comfort, hope and assurance.  Prayerfully, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in making decisions.  God will guide you as you wait upon Him. Patience and trust are essential and looking to Jesus for guidance is a must for the Christian desirous of walking day by day with Jesus.  Never easy, but always rewarding, purposeful and bearing fruit, is our walk with the Savior.

Trusting in the perfect Guide,

Linda

 

 

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.  Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”   So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod.  And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”   When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.  Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:  “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”  Matthew 2:13-18

Joseph and Mary were obedient to the angel’s direction and fled to Egypt.  (The bringing of Jesus into and back from Egypt parallels the bringing of the infant nation of Israel into Egypt for safety during the famine and then out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery.)  God’s plan to protect Jesus from ruthless and power hungry Herod included a trip to Egypt.  It is not known how long Mary, Joseph and Jesus stayed in Egypt but Herod died in 4 B.C., and they returned after his death.   God provided a safe place, Egypt, and the means to get there, the gifts of the Magi.  Those gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh were very costly gifts and could have been sold to provide for them in Egypt.   We have to trust God to deal with the murderous Herod as vengeance belongs to God.  A promise we can claim in the name of those slain children is Hebrews 10:30-31 “It is mine to avenge:  I will repay, and again, “The Lord will judge his people.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

How do we see God in this event?  God was Jesus’ Father and protected Him.  As the Creator, God sustains and provides for all He has made, but He is the Father only of those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ.  He gives us His Spirit, adopts us into His family and makes us His children.  He has a loving relationship that lasts forever with every believer. He speaks to us personally through  His Word  the Bible, and we speak to Him in prayer.  Even the best human father has flaws but God is always good, wise and loving.  God loves, protects, care for, trains and disciplines His children.   Jesus was His Son and He protected and cared for Him in that distant land of Egypt.  The gospels tell us that Jesus spent time in prayer talking with His Father, communing with Him, drawing from His strength and receiving His comfort while here on earth.  God did not have to discipline Jesus, as He does us, as Jesus was perfect and without sin.  Therefore, Jesus was perfectly obedient to His Father and fulfilled all that God sent Him to accomplish, our redemption.

Do you look upon God as your heavenly Father?  As a believer, do you allow Him to love protect, care for, train you?  Do you willingly accept His discipline?  Many people struggle with the image of God as their Father as they have had a flawed earthly father in their lives.  If this is your experience, pray and ask God to establish His relationship anew with you, to repair you sight and heal your understanding so you can relate to Him as your heavenly Father.  He is a good, good Father and will not let you down.  He is perfect in all of His ways.

Thankful for my good, good Father,

Linda

 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”  When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.  When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will co a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’    Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and make careful search for the child.  As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”  After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the  star, they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him.  Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and incense and of myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.  Matthew 2:1-12

Several things stand out to me as I read this account of the Wise Men, Magi, arriving  from the east.  They referred to Jesus as ‘King of the Jews’ not our king indicating they were Gentiles and that all people would acknowledge Jesus as King.  This star that appeared in the sky had to stay in position, shining brightly for months as they traveled some 600-700 miles from Persia following the star’s course.   The prophecy that is referred to in this passage about the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem was given by the prophet Micah some 7 centuries earlier!  This King Herod, also know as Herod the Great, was a non-Jew appointed by the Roman Senate and known in history to be a ruthless man who murdered family members and built great splendorous buildings. The Magi sought Jesus to worship Him and brought Him valuable gifts befitting a king.

What does this event tell us about God? First God is impartial.  He drew non-Jews to His Son to show that He is the God of all people on earth.  All will come to acknowledge Jesus as King and will bow before Him in worship.  He saves people regardless of what they have done or will do.  He saves people who have families in church and people who do not.  He saves people who are rich, poor, smart and not smart.  He is always fair.  There is nothing anyone can do to force God’s hand, or put God in their debt.  God will always do right by every person, in every situation.  The Star also shows God’s infinite character.  God has no beginning and no end.  He has always exited and He always will.  This is why God declared His name to be “I AM”.  God IS.  God also has no ‘size’.  There is no place that can contain God because God has not limits of any kind. There is no way to measure God, for everything that God is, is limitless.  God’s power, knowledge and love have no limits.  God the Father, Son and Spirit are all the same: infinite.  God can use all things in His creation to proclaim His being and His Son’s arrival.  His power and being are infinite.

Do you seen God as impartial and infinite?  Have you seen Him call and use all people and all things for His glory?  Do you see any limit to God’s power and love?   In 2 Peter 3:9 we are reminded “The Lord is not  slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish, but  everyone to come to repentance.”   God is impartial and wants all to be saved from their sinful state and cleansed by Jesus’ righteousness. Everyone is desired by God.  Jeremiah 23:24 says, “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD.  “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”  declares the LORD.  God is infinite and everyone is accountable to Him.

Trusting in our impartial and infinite God,

Linda

Get a fresh perspective on the Star of Bethlehem.  Watch the video ‘The Star of Bethlehem’  produced by Stephen McEveety.   More information available at bethlehemstar.net

“There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.  She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.  Going up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”  Luke 2:36-38an

Mary and Joseph had just encountered Simeon and now they faced an old woman who was known as a prophetess.  There are a few women who speak for God under His guidance in the Bible.  Deborah (Judges 4:4) and  Aaron’s sister Miriam (Exodus 15:20) are the most well known.  Anna was known for her devotion to the Lord and constancy in prayer and worship.  Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there that day and heard what she said about Jesus and what He would accomplish?  Her focus was on the redemption of Jerusalem meaning the Jewish people.  She knew that God was just and that He would redeem and rescue her people with this child  just as He had promised.

How is God just?  God’s justice is perfect.  His decisions are always based on His righteous character.  God cannot ignore sin because He is holy.  It would be unjust to ignore wickedness, rebellion and sin. God is just and does not show favoritism.  Every penalty will be fair and right.  God does not treat His children as their sins deserve because Jesus suffered the full punishment for our sins.  Because God is just, He will never punish His children for the sin for which Jesus paid on the cross.  Anna could see this sacrifice in Jesus’ future that day and knew He was the key to the redemption of God’s people.

How are you and I affected by God’s justice?  We can count on God to always be Holy and intolerant of sin.  We can trust that His justice is and has always been perfect as He is unchanging in character and does not show favorites.  God is true to His Word and will do as He promised in Scripture.  He will be victorious over Satan and Jesus will return again.  We have proof of God’s justice.  He dealt with our sin through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus.  Now that our sin has been dealt with, it is over and God’s justice is done!  Praise Him for His Justice and keep pointing others to Jesus.  Live focused on things with eternal value that glorify God.  Cling to God’s promises in Scripture and pray for those that do not know Jesus as Savior.  Do not judge others but leave justice to God. Trust in God’s justice it is and always will be perfect.

Depending upon our Just God,

Linda

After Jesus’ birth, Scripture tells us he was named Jesus and circumcised on the eighth day.  The Law of Moses then required that every first born male be presented in temple for consecration after 40 days and that a sacrifice be offered at that time.  When Mary and Joseph entered the temple they encountered a man named Simeon.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.  He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him  It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.  When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation , which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”  The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.  Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.  And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

This encounter with Simeon gave Mary and Joseph another glimpse into the power and might of God.  They saw and heard their child being prophesied over by a stranger in the temple that revealed His purpose for both Jews and Gentiles-salvation and glory to God.  He also revealed the reception Jesus would receive from people- rejection in unbelief and hearts touched by faith.  Simeon said there would be sword piecing pain for Jesus, which happened literally at the cross, and for Mary in her sorrow over the way her beloved son was treated.  All of these revelations reveal the Righteousness of God.

What is God’s righteousness?  God is right in all He does.  He has always been right and always will be right.  All of His words and actions are right. All of His plans are right.  God has no sin and is positively perfect.  God never lies.  He is fair, just and faithful in all He does.  We never need wonder if God is right, so we can trust God when we do not understand.  We do not always see God’s righteousness in the world today, but He has promised His righteousness will prevail.  Because God is righteous, He expects us to be righteous.  Even the best person cannot be perfectly righteous.  But God see His children clothed with Christ’s righteousness.  Because of what Christ did for us, suffering that sword piercing pain, we can be righteous before God.  The plan Simeon revealed that day in the temple was God’s right plan for mankind to bring about our righteousness.

Just like Mary and Joseph, I marvel at God’s plan of redemption.  Here we see it is a plan not just for the Jews but for all Gentiles too.  As you study the gospel accounts of Jesus’ earthly ministry you see how He was received in unbelief, rejected and crucified just as Simeon foretold.  God’s righteous plan was to save us.  Praise God for His righteousness that saves all of us through faith in Jesus.

Marveling at Jesus today,

Linda

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,  “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  So they hurried off, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was laying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”  Luke 2:16-20

After being visited by a host of heavenly beings and hearing their message and praises for the child that was born in Bethlehem, they hurriedly went to find the child.  They found Jesus just as the angels had said.  Their response to encountering Jesus was excitement -they spread the word, they praised and glorified God for allowing them to see and hear and meet the Savior, Jesus.  God was within reach, touchable, real and worthy of all their praises.

What does this tell us about God?  God was then and is now accessible. Since God had walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, He had not been accessible in the flesh.  He was now accessible, or near.  In the covenants God made with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He promised to be in relationship with them always.  Later God commanded the people to build the tabernacle so He could live among them.  God made Himself even nearer to people when He became a man, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Now He is accessible in the most intimate way possible.  His Spirit lives in every believer.  When you pray, He hears you.  The shepherd experienced the accessibility of God in a miraculous way and it caused them to glorify and praise God.

Do you find God accessible?  Just like the shepherds, if you seek Him you will find Him and experience His glory-His indwelling Holy Spirit.  Here are a few promises that God gives regarding His accesibility that we can rely upon.  James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you;  He will never leave  you nor forsake you.”   Jesus promised in Matthew 28:20b “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so tha we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” 

Praising God for His accessibility 24/7,

Linda

Loved the concept given in this cartoon picture.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:8-14

I can’t even imagine the terror of the shepherds as they heard an angelic being speaking to them and tried to comprehend the message delivered with the glory of the Lord shining all around them. These men were chosen to witness God’s glory first hand and experience the joy of His message that the long awaited Messiah had arrived!  This was an event worthy of a great company of angelic beings shouting and praising God.  Scripture conveys the brilliance, noise and grandeur of this scene.  The angels proclaimed the glory of God and the plan of God to bring peace everlasting to mankind.  As the simple shepherds took in this scene, they were motivated to seek out the Savior.

What does this event show us about God?  God is glorious.  God’s glory is the total of all His attributes.  God displayed His glory in the beauty and wisdom of His creation.  Throughout history, God has revealed His glory to His people through His power, mercy, grace, judgment, holiness, love and every other attribute.  The Lord Jesus Christ reveals God’s glory completely.   This complete revelation of God’s glory in Jesus was what the angels were singing and praising.  The full revelation of God had come to earth as a man for the redemption of mankind.  What a glorious event!

What about me?  Try to  capture some of God’s glory this Christmas season as you consider Jesus’ birth, God sending His Only Son to Save us and the redemption of all mankind that God planned through Jesus.  Look for God’s glorious nature around you. Remember God’s glory is the sum total of all His attributes so any love, kindness, patience, goodness, mercy, grace, provision, …. you live out in your life as godly actions towards others reflect God’s glorious nature.

Blessings as you reflect God’s glory this Christmas,

Linda

 

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”  Luke 2:4-7

Since Mary was about to deliver a baby, you might have expected to Joseph to go to Bethlehem for the census and then return to Nazareth.  However, Mary was also from the house of David and women 12 years and older were required to pay a poll tax and register.  Mary would have been required to go to Bethlehem too. I am sure it was a difficult journey for both of them on foot or by donkey.  Then when they arrived in Bethlehem, they found no accommodations available.  About then, I think I would have been ready to scream in frustration!

What does this story tell us about God?  God was their provider.  Let’s look at what God did provided for them.  He provided the proper time- they traveled, arrived safely and the baby was born there- no time to return home, delivery was scheduled  by God to be in Bethlehem.  God provided a kind innkeeper who had compassion upon them and offered them his stable protected from the elements and with privacy for the baby to be delivered.  God provided shelter in a stable with a cradle made out of a manger.  I have been to the stable area in Bethlehem.  It is a roomy cave that is hidden away in the rocks.  Perhaps Mary and Joseph recalled Psalm 23 as they looked back at God’ provision.  “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures,  he leads me beside quiet waters,  he restores my soul.” 

Is God your Provider?  God provides for every creature He has made.  He feeds the birds and gives us our daily bread   We do not have strength or goodness of our own but God gives it to us generously.  He provides a way out of temptation and protects us from evil.  God’s greatest gift is His Son.  Because He  gave us His son, we can trust Him to give us everything else we need.   Just like Mary and Joseph trusted God to provide for them in their time of great need, God will do the same for us.  Do not consider God some kind of cosmic bell hop, bringing you whatever you want.  God promises to see to our needs not our wants.   One of my favorite promises that brings me great assurance of provision by our provider God is Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours, according to his riches in Christ Jesus.”    Trust Him today for your every provision, just as Mary and Joseph did on their trip to Bethlehem.

Trusting in my great Provider ,

Linda  

This picture is a good reminder to me today!

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.  So Joseph also went up form the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.”  Luke 2:1-5

Mary and Joseph lived under Roman rule and had to go to Bethlehem as part of the census.  God used a pagan ruler to move the birth of His Son to Bethlehem where according to prophesy Messiah was to be born.  Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”   God is a God of details and not one prophesy about Jesus would be overlooked.  As we look at the life of Jesus we can see prophecy after prophecy that was fulfilled in His life.  There is no possible way that all the things said about the coming Messiah could have been accomplished except by an all powerful and wise God.   I am reminded of the words of Daniel in Daniel 2:20-21 “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.  He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.  He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.  He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness and light dwells with him.”

What does this tell us about God?  God is wise He is not simply all knowing.  He always uses His knowledge to do exactly what is right.  God’s Word is full of His wisdom.  Both His plan of redemption and His creation are perfectly wise.  God is wise in the plan He has for each of His children individually.  All wisdom comes from God.  To be wise we must seek Him. All the details of Jesus’ coming to Earth, His future ministry and sacrifice for all mankind were planned with God’s wisdom and executed by His power.  Joseph and Mary were part of God’s plan for the birth of God’s Son as well as Caesar Augustus who issued the decree causing them to travel to Bethlehem.  All the details were made and carried out by a wise and loving God.

What does this mean for you and me today?  Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and God’s Word, I can learn, know and apply God’s wisdom in my life.  Ephesians 1:7-8 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”  Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 2:13 “This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.”  Learning to walk in God’s wisdom is a life-long endeavor and achieved only by God’s grace.  Studying passages like today’s story show the power and wisdom of God.  He brought all worldly events under His power and direction and it helps us to see that God is wise in all He does and we can trust Him fully.

Seeking and trusting our Wise God,

Linda

 

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.   All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’– which means, ‘God with us.’  When Joseph wok up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”  Matthew 1:18-25   

Scripture tells us Joseph was a righteous man, he was a descendent of David and he was betrothed or pledged to Mary.  According to custom, the Jewish betrothal was more binding than our modern engagement.  It could only be broken by divorce and during this time there was no sexual relationship between the man and woman.  The betrothed woman was referred to as ‘wife’ and the man as ‘husband’.  So Joseph was a good Jewish man, he followed the laws and customs and he obviously cared for Mary as he did not want to see her publicly judged which could have led to her stoning.  The angel stopped  Joseph’s course of action as he listened, believed the Lord’s Words and accepted the unusual circumstances within which He found himself.  He took it on faith and exercised his faith with action towards Mary.

What does this event tell us about God?  God is Incomprehensible.  We cannot understand God’s thoughts and ways.  God is infinite and eternal and knows all things. God made human beings in His image, but we are finite and flawed by sin.  In heaven we will be perfect. However, we will still not know all there is to know about God because we will be finite.  We can understand all that we need to know about God because He has given us His Word and His Spirit.  Joseph would have been familiar with the Old Testament words of Job 5:9 “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”  and Isaiah 55:8 “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways may ways,’ declares the LORD.”   Joseph knew God was beyond total understanding, and he needed to exercise faith to walk within God’s will for his life.  He was a wise and righteous man.   He knew this about his God “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 12:6.   So Joseph boldly stepped out and acted upon his faith trusting God for the results.

What about you?  Do you know and trust God?  Are you willing to step out in faith when God calls you to do, serve, be used and tell others?  Can you accept that God’s ways are not our ways and that we will not totally understand our infinite God.  Be a Joseph today- step out with faith and in faith to follow Jesus.

In awe of our Incomprehensible God,

Linda