Tag: Joseph

Joseph- right line at the right time!

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Joseph, at last we get to his part of the story. His genealogy is presented by Matthew in Chapter 1. He was of the line of David, as was Mary. It was foretold that Jesus would come from the line of David although it was not known until his birth that it would be a miraculous birth. Matthew lists Joseph’s father as being a descendent in David’s line. Matthew 1:16-17 “and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.” It was important for Matthew begin with Jesus’ birth line as prophecy specifically said the Messiah would come from David’s line and be born in Bethlehem, David’s ancestral home. Both of these were true of Jesus “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.” Micha 5:2  With this beginning, Matthew establishes Jesus’ credibility through Joseph’s story recorded in Matthew 1:18-21. 

 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 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. 21 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.”

What can we tell about Joseph from this story? He was a believing Jew who sought to please God by following the law. He was also a compassionate man as he did not want to expose Mary, the girl he loved, to public reticule. He was a thinker, slow to react and not prone to rash decisions. Isn’t that the kind of person you would like to know and be associated with? Joseph was steady and reliable, seeking to do what was kind and right.

What can we tell about God from Joseph’s story? The Lord knew he was not a rash, impulsive man and would deliberate about the consequences of his actions. He allowed him time to think and consider before revealing the true nature of Mary’s condition. God sent an angelic messenger in a dream to Joseph to impress upon his mind that which he should do. God cleared her name and character in Joseph’s mind. God gave him a godly reason and mission by being the future father of the Messiah. God did not tell him everything, m but enough to convince him that marrying Mary was the right thing to do. How like God to give motivation and assurance to activate Joseph’s faith and cause Joseph to trust in Him. 

God is always trustworthy and He keeps all His promises.

Linda

Mary, Looking to God

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We will leave Zachariah and Elizabeth for a bit and turn our attention to Mary. Mary was a young woman who was pledged to marry a Jewish man named Joseph. Like Zachariah, Mary was visited by an angel with a specific message for her. Here is the first part of her story, Luke 1:26-33.

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary was visited by the archangel named Gabriel, the same angel who had spoken to Zachariah. We are given times and places where this event occurred. In the sixth month refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Jesus and John were to be close in age. The place Nazareth was located in the region of Galilee and where Mary and Joseph resided. Joseph, her betrothed, was in the line of David which was very important as Messiah was to come from the line of David. Actually both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David. After greeting Mary, the angel first addresses her fear and proclaims she is favored by God. What an amazing message the angel gives to this young unwed girl. She was to have a child, but she was not married and had not known any man. She was perplexed about this but asks her questions of the angel with showing doubt towards God. The encounter continues in Luke 1:34-38

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary does not doubt God’s ability to perform this miracle within her and radiates confidence and hope in her response. She is humble and obedient towards God.

What do we learn about God in this encounter? God shows himself and his power through the angel Gabriel. He appeared to her personally and reassured her that all would be well with her. When given momentous tasks to perform, God attends to the details and gives us reassurances that it will succeed. Maybe it is a complement from a coworker, an unexpected gift or money to see the job done, support from a friend, prayers directed to uplift you by other believers, peace in your mind or heart or an encouraging passage from His Word to motivate you. God uses all those around us to do His bidding and support us. Here he used the miraculous and given the mission, it is an encounters that will last a lifetime. God know exactly what Mary needed to reassure her, and He knows what you need. We just have to be open to His encouragements and looking for them expectantly. God was a personal God to Mary and is personal to you and me. He cares about each of us. Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:7 that God encourages us to give Him our anxieties and worries because He cares about us. “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Good words for Mary as she was told to trust God and good words for us today.

Linda

Immanuel, God with Us!

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We learned that in Isaiah 7 the enemies of Judah were marching towards Jerusalem. Isaiah had prophesied before King Ahaz that the enemy would not be victorious. They were to stand firm in faith and believe and trust God for this victory. Isaiah then told Ahaz to ask God for a confirmation sign. Ahaz refused to ask God saying he did not want to test God. Isaiah chastized Ahaz for not wanting a word of prophecy from the Lord. This prophesy was meant to convince Ahaz that God could indeed rescue him from his enemies and to grow his faith. The prophesy is one of the major prophesies about Jesus and what would happen to Ahaz and Judah in their near future. Isaiah 7:14-17

14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 

This prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled in Matthew 1:20-23 which was given to Joseph.

 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

I was also fulfilled in Luke 1:26-31 which was given to Mary:

 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.“

Scripture records the actual birth of Mary’s baby in Luke 2: 4-7 in the ‘Christmas Story’.

 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Isaiah’s prophecy contained both events near to their present time and one that would not occur for another 600 years! Prophecy is often given this way and time alone helps us to discern what is close and what is far away. However, whether it is near or far, all of it is absolutely true. Here is the remainder of the prophecy from verses 15-17 that tell of the coming destruction of the land by Israel’s enemies. This destruction of the kings mentioned was also foretold in Amos 1:3-5 and Jeramiah 7:15.

15 By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt and honey. 16 For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted. 17 “Then the Lord will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!”

The prophecy that Isaiah gave from God about the coming Messiah was to bring hope to all Israelites. It was show that there would be a miraculous coming of ‘God with us’. This child would be a miracle of birth sent by God. Since the only God with us the Israelites were familiar with was God’s indwelling of the temple and the tabernacle before that, this would have been a gigantic revelation. It was to change the course of human history. Never before had God dwelt with his believers in bodily form. Ahaz did not want a sign from God but the sign God gave was definitely one we would not want to turn down. It was a sign that would change the course of history.

As I close this section of prophecy from Isaiah, I am blessed by God’s words of hope and deliverance that Messiah would bring. On this side of the cross, we see the effect Jesus had on humanity and how he was indeed God with us! My faith is strengthened in that God knew what his plan was to save all mankind through Jesus the Son and he gave us this prophecy to help us see that He is indeed Sovereign and Omniscient. He is the one that has a plan that will not be thwarted by the events of any age and His will will prevail. I pray that seeing the prophecy fulfilled from verse 14 increases your faith.

One other thought, Ahaz did not want a word from God for whatever reason. I can’t imagine anyone would not want to hear something from God. I had to ask myself though, am I listening to God and hearing His messages to me? Do I welcome His revelations? Do I treat God’s Word with reverence and respect? When I study and read God’s Word, am I looking for His messages to me? His whole book is a love story to me and for me, do I see that? May you look with fresh eyes as you read and study His Word during this Lenten Season.

Meditating on verse 14, may you welcome Jesus into your life today and let Him be ‘God with you’. You will be blessed.

Linda

How are you affected by Jesus?

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What affect does the Savior have upon you? In our passage today we see the shepherd’s encounter with the baby Jesus and his parents.  After the news from the angels, they went immediately to find the child. They did not stop to consider it was nighttime, their sheep, the distance, or their weariness from the day. The only thing that mattered was finding the babe. Are you seeker of Christ who puts finding Him first each day? I’m sure they were curious but more than curiosity would have been the desire to see this child from God. They were eager to see their Savior first hand. Are you curious about Jesus, His Word and are you eager to pursue Him? The thought of seeing the Savior who would bring peace into their lives gave them energy and motivation to seek Him out. Are you ardently seeking Jesus for the peace only He can provide? They even knew where to look and what they would see. A manger would mean a stable of some kind and He would be with his parents, wrapped up in cloths lying in the manger. Being familiar with the area, it did not take long for them to locate Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. Are you familiar with Jesus and know where to find Him? Do you open your Bible regularly to learn about Him? Here is our passage-see their eagerness, curiosity and amazement.

Luke 2:16-20 “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

After seeing Jesus, how were they affected? They were amazed!! They wanted to tell others! Their joy could not be contained and they wanted to praise and glorify God. What about you? How are you affected by Jesus? Do you want to tell others about your Savior? Are you amazed at His love and compassion, His mercy and forgiveness? Does it make you want to sing praises and glorify God?

I pray that this Christmas season you encounter the living Jesus and have a reaction similar to the shepherds. We all need to be amazed, curious, eager and desirous of telling others while praising and glorifying God. May it be so with you.

Linda

Joseph, A Second Look

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Joseph’s encounter with the angel and his stunning message to Joseph is worth a second look. Matthew 1:20-25 is the rich account of how God told Joseph in a dream of His Son that was to be born to Mary, Joseph’s fiancé. Yesterday we looked at Joseph’s character that shone with faith and obedience to God and we looked at the attributes of God revealed to us in this heavenly meeting. Today I want to focus on this Son of God that was to be born of Mary.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Joseph was told by God in a dream that the child conceived within Mary was God’s Son by His Holy Spirit. He would be named Jesus, which means God with us. This Son was coming with a purpose which was to save all mankind from their sins. All men inherited their sinful nature from Adam and Eve when they sinned in the garden. God’s plan was one of restoration and redemption though the coming of His Son Jesus. This was a lot of information for Joseph to process. He was righteous, which meant he was knowledgeable about the scriptures and laws of Moses which he practiced faithfully. Joseph would have known the quote in verse 23 is from Isaiah 7:14. He would have known of God’s promised Messiah who was to save His people. Joseph must have been overwhelmed by the responsibility and privilege God was placing upon him to be the earthly father of His Son. He took all this in and stepped out in obedient faith to follow the command God gave him. He married Mary immediately and did not stop to count the cost. The cost as we will see was significant but the blessings and privileges of serving the Lord would have been immense.

What obstacles are you facing in your service to God? Are they ones you create in your mind, the what ifs? Are they circumstances that you feel are too big for God to overcome? If so, think about Joseph and all he had in front of him, and yet he trusted God and walked in obedience. Jesus is the key- He came to be with us ‘Immanuel’ and to save us from our sins. Take His hand and walk with Him. When things get hard He promises to never leave you nor forsake you, He’s got this!

Linda

Joseph’s Example

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In today’s portion of the Christmas story we transition to Joseph. As we see in this passage, he was an upright Jew who followed the law. He shows compassion and caring for Mary as he does not want her disgraced and plans to divorce her quietly. Their betrothals were more binding than our ‘engagements’ as to end them they actually had to seek a divorce.

Matthew 1:18-25 “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 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. 21 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.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”). 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus”.

From this passage we can tell that Joseph is open to listening to the angel and takes what he says as truth. He does not question the angel as to how this could even be possible, but accepts the circumstances of Mary’s pregnancy as fact and acts in faith by taking Mary home to be his wife. He did not object to the possible ridicule they would face or the difficult times ahead for them both but trusted the Lord to see them through as he knew it was God’s plan. I admire Joseph’s faith and trust in God and his compassion and love for Mary.

From this passage we can also tell things about God. God knew Joseph’s inner most thoughts. He did not have to hear them aloud as the angel came and addressed Joseph’s concerns and future plans as He had prior knowledge of his thoughts. God is Omniscient and knows all that happens and will happen in our world. God knows our inner most thoughts and there is nothing we can hide from Him. God had a plan to save all mankind through His Son Jesus and used a miraculous plan that only God could conceive and execute. God is Sovereign over all actions in our world and can make things happen that defy our natural world though his Omnipotent power. By using the Holy Spirit to indwell Mary so that she would conceive a child showed God’s ability to be present within us, His Omnipresence.

Which of these attributes of God is most meaningful to you today? Do you forget that God is Omniscient and try to ‘get away’ with sin? Do you rationalize it by thinking it is a little sin and God won’t care? What about His Sovereignty and Omnipotent power? Do you trust God to be in control of all things in your life? Do you pray like you believe that He is and can do all things? Forgetting or ignoring the fact that God is Omnipresent denies the truth that He is with us always. Jesus’ parting words in Matthew 28:19-20 say otherwise, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus promises to be with us, Omnipresent with each believer always. Do you live life like Jesus is right there with you in the problems and in the celebrations?

There is much to ponder in this portion of the Christmas story that can lead us to greater faith and trust in Almighty God. Will you follow in Joseph’s path and walk with humility, faith and trust in God today? Will you trust God to walk before you and with you to face the problems and challenges each day brings? Use your faith and see the miracles only God can do in your life!

Linda

Advent…God with Us, Immanuel

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Matthew 1:20-25 is the rich account of how God told Joseph in a dream of His Son that was to be born to Mary, Joseph’s fiancé. Yesterday we looked at Joseph’s character that shone with faith and obedience to God. Today I want to focus on this Son of God that was to be born of Mary.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Joseph was told by God in a dream that the child conceived within Mary was God’s Son by His Holy Spirit. He would be named Jesus, which means God with us. This Son was coming with a purpose which was to save all mankind from their sins. All men inherited their sinful nature from Adam and Eve when they sinned in the garden. God’s plan was one of restoration and redemption though the coming of His Son Jesus. This was a lot of information for Joseph to process. He was righteous, which meant he was learned in the scriptures and laws of Moses which he practiced faithfully. Joseph would have known the quote in verse 23 is from Isaiah 7:14. He would have known of God’s promised Messiah who was to save His people. Joseph must have been overwhelmed by the responsibility and privilege God was placing upon him to be the earthly father of His Son. He took all this in and stepped out in obedient faith to follow the command God gave him. He married Mary immediately and did not stop to count the cost. The cost as we will see was significant but the blessings and privileges of serving the Lord would have been immense.

What obstacles are you facing in your service to God? Are they ones you create in your mind, the what ifs? Are they circumstances that you feel are too big for God to overcome? If so, think about Joseph and all he had in front of him, and yet he trusted God and walked in obedience. Jesus is the key- He came to be with us ‘Immanuel’ and to save us from our sins. Take His hand and walk with Him. When things get hard He promises to never leave you nor forsake you, He’s got this!

Linda

Advent…Joseph’s Example=faith & obedience

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Today we shift from Mary and her relatives to Joseph’s encounter with God and his journey of faith and obedience. Matthew 1:18-25

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. This portion of the Advent story tells us a lot about Joseph’s character and their customs. Being betrothed in those times was more binding than an engagement today and they were considered husband and wife even though they did not live together or have relations. To end a betrothal it was necessary to sign divorce papers. Joseph knew because he was righteous, meaning he followed the laws of Moses and abided by them in his daily life, that announcing publicly that Mary was with child would lead to her public judgement and stoning. He cared for Mary and decided to do this quietly to save her life.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Joseph was given directions from God through a dream. This was not an unusual way for God to speak with someone as he appeared to Jacob, Joseph, Gideon and others in Old Testament times and Joseph would have known these stories. The angel specifically said he was to take Mary as his wife as her son was of the Holy Spirit. She had not been unfaithful but was being used by God for a greater purpose. He would have known of the promised Messiah and that his coming was to be by supernatural means through the line of David. Isaiah who lived hundreds of years before Joseph had prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 of this coming event. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. As the angel spoke these words to Joseph, he knew the truth of Mary’s circumstances and stepped out in faith to do as God commanded. He was immediately obedient.

Joseph’s character was one of shining faith and obedience. He did not question, argue or doubt God and His request. He did not doubt God’s ability to cause Mary to be pregnant though His Holy Spirt. He did not seek help with family problems over marrying an already pregnant fiancée. He stepped out in total faith doing just as God commanded him to do. I thank God for this glimpse into Joseph’s character as it gives a picture of the faith and obedience God desires of me also.

What about you? Will you step out in obedient faith and follow God’s direction this Advent season? Look for those God given opportunities to show your faith in Jesus.

Linda

Advent…Expect the Unexpected

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Mary enters our Advent story today. She is a young virginal woman who is engaged to be married to a man named Joseph. An angel appears to her with a startling message. Luke 1:26-34

 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!””

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.

God is gracious to us in that we know the time this takes place. It is only 6 months after Zachariah was in the temple and Elizabeth conceived. The angel messenger sudden and miraculous appearance caused Mary to be afraid. That is understandable as the appearance of an angelic heavenly being was most unusual and would have been cause for fear. The angel had a special message just for Mary that was one of hope and wonder. Being a Jewish girl, she knew of the coming Messiah- the anointed holy one to come. But, she was perplexed as to how this could happen as she was pledged but unmarried and had not had relations with Joseph. Her question was one of How can this be? She was not doubting God’s ability to cause this to happen as Zachariah had in the temple. Her doubts were answered by the messenger factually as we’ll see tomorrow.

What lessons can we take away from this portion of Mary’s story? Mary was open and receptive to God’s message. She was willing to listen and desired to know more about God’s will for her life. Are you open minded towards God? Do you look expectantly for His work in your life? Unexpected things can happen to each of us and they are solely dependent upon God’s mercy and grace. We need to trust in God’s providential care just as Mary did to receive the blessings God has in store for us.

Will you look God’s hand of care in your life today and praise Him?

Linda

Aftermath Continues- Gifts fit for a King!

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After the Wise Men met with King Herod and got further directions on where to find this possible child born ‘king of the Jews’, they proceeded to Bethlehem. Matthew 2:9-12 “After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”

Here we see the provision, protection and love God has for His Son who is now on earth. We know the Magi did not visit on the night of Jesus’ birth as in verse 2 we were told they came to see Herod after Jesus’ birth. Also there is no mention of a stable or animals but a house. (When visiting Bethlehem, guides took us to a house believed to be where Mary and Joseph lived during this time period. It is very near to the stable cave and had several rooms where they could have lived comfortably.) The Magi followed the Star and found where Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus were living. The gifts they presented to them were very costly and befitting a king. We see God’s Sovereignty in the fact that He warned the kings not to go back to Herod. God knew what was in Herod’s heart and protected His Son.

Have you experienced the provision, protection and love of God during this pandemic year of 2020? I know I have. God has provided comfort and connection that I so desperately crave during these times of isolation. He has protected me from the virus and kept me in good health. I have felt His love through His Word and the kindness of others. God loves each of us and reaches down to touch us in ways we recognize and then some we don’t. Reflect as we end this year on ways God has met your needs and thank Him for His provision.

Linda