Skip to main content
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. 
And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
Matthew 1:20-21 NLT
More angels, but this time not a terrifying "in person" visit, but in a dream. 
Lesson: God connects with people in different ways. 
The first thing the angel does is remind Joseph of who he is, the ancestors who he belongs to. 
Lesson: our whakapapa matters.
The angel seems to know Joseph's plan to break up with Mary. What's implied but not said is that Joseph is needed, he's got an important part to play in Mary's life and Jesus' life, and the angel is asking him to change direction, not to walk away as his culture might allow and even expect him to do. 
Lesson: sometimes our family is formed in ways we might not expect or even choose. 
Embrace it. 
Love the people God has put in your orbit, connected you with, even if (or perhaps especially if) your "culture" doesn't get it, it might be easier or make more "sense" to walk away. 
Love people anyway. 
#christmas2023
#youmatterinGodsBigStory

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Joseph replied..."Dont you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now - life for many people..." Genesis 50:19-20 MSG The view from the drone. The different perspective. "God has been at work in my life despite, in fact within the hatred that you had towards me. Even though I couldn't always see it, I kept trusting Him, even when He was silent, when all hope seemed lost... God was at work... Can you see that now?" #faith #faithinthedark
Post a Comment
Read more
Genesis 15.8-18.ESV But he said O Lord God , how am I to know that I shall possess it? ...When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram... March 15 was the last day we looked at Abram's story...he was questioning God and this is God's response...sacrifices and smoke and fire and a covenant...a promise... Isn't that what we crave for sometimes? God, if only you'd just show me smoke & fire, a burning bush a sign, miracle, healing...then all my questions would disappear...all my doubts would be gone... 2moro we'll see Abram's response but I think God values our faith in spite of our questions and doubts. That we choose Him anyway #faith
Post a Comment
Read more
Psalm 42.1-11.nlt As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God... I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? O God my rock l cry, Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies? Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, Where is this God of yours? Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God! That song "as the deer pants for the water..." seems almost nice, but it's not...it's part of a cry of anguish, of hurt, of despair...of God not giving an answer...yet...through all that...again and again he says I'll put my hope in God! #choose #hope #hopeunshaken
Post a Comment
Read more