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\ / WHAT JESUS DID! -- http://www.heartlight.org/
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Friday, January 16, 2009
Divine Partnership
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a
dream. This happened while Joseph was in Egypt. The angel
said, "Get up! Take the baby and his mother and go to Israel.
The people that were trying to kill the baby are now dead."
So Joseph took the baby and the baby's mother and went to
Israel. But Joseph heard that Archelaus was now king in
Judea. Archelaus became king when his father Herod died. So
Joseph was afraid to go there. Joseph was warned in a dream.
So Joseph left there and went to the area of Galilee. Joseph
went to a town called Nazareth and lived there. And so the
thing happened that God said through the prophets. God said
that {the Christ} would be called a Nazarene.
-- Matthew 2:19-23 (ERV)
KEY THOUGHT:
In this passage, we see Joseph caught in a wonderful and mysterious
dance with God. God revealed his protective guidance in dreams, through
angels, and in visions. Joseph, however, still had to discern the
meaning of God's help and had to choose to obey his direction. So often
we want everything spelled out, "just like they did in the Bible." We
forget that Joseph and Mary were living a mystery that was too big to
wrap their minds around; at times it was frightening and at other times
it was just bewildering. The human guidance, advice, and training they
received to prepare them for what lay ahead of them are remarkably
similar to our own -- little or none. This, of course, made them rely
more on God each day for his direction and protection. Interestingly,
after the initial burst of divine revelation, Joseph and Mary appear to
have been faced with the same kind of child raising issues that most of
us face, with one exception: they were raising God's Messiah. They had
to rely on God to lead them through this mystery. So must we!
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Ever-present Father, I am comforted to see your protection of your Son
when he was so vulnerable. I am thankful that there is never a place or
time that your presence is not with him. Please inspire my confidence
in your presence in my life, too. I long for you to make yourself known
in my life each day as I seek to live for you. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
>> NEW: Phil's What Jesus Did devotional is now
>> available as a book. Click below to order!
http://images.ultracart.com/aff/ACU9/1414/108/185/575/0/index.html
>> The WJD! web page has related scriptures and the
>> full text of today's key passage. Read it at:
http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/0116-wjd.html
>> For further study of today's passage, use our
>> online Bible study site: SearchGodsWord.org!
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=Matthew+2:19-23&sr=1&t=erv
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