Matthew 1:1-2 and 16 - These are the families through which
Jesus Christ came. He came through David and Abraham. Abraham
was the father of Isaac. Isaac was the father of Jacob. Jacob was the father of
Judah and his brothers…..
Jacob was the father of Joseph. Joseph was the husband of
Mary. She was the mother of Jesus Who is called the Christ.
Around 400 years pass before God calls Matthew to record the
life of Christ…the Messiah they had all looked for so long. He is careful to
begin his book with the long genealogy of Jesus. Beginning with the father of
all Jews…Abraham….he carefully mentioned 52 generations of royalty like David….sinners
like Rahab….strong personalities of faith like Boaz and Ruth….to the simple
young humble parents of Jesus….Mary and Joseph.
It was a supernatural birth….Mary impregnated by the Holy
Spirit…and facing sure ridicule….divorce before he is born….and a possible
stoning. But God chose a man of character…of stern principles…a discretionary
man….responsive to God’s voice…named Joseph.
He even had the self-discipline to become the model adoptive parent ….keeping
Mary’s purity intact until Jesus was born.
Joseph initial reaction was probably like most of us...he
thought he only had two choices when he discovered his betrothed wife was with
child…and it was not his. He could divorce her quietly so that the second
option of stoning might be avoided. But
God knew he had chosen the right family mix to raise his only son…and a third
option was given to Joseph….marry her anyway …and help raise Jesus…the Messiah….Emanuel…so God could live among us fully human yet fully
God.
It is a great reminder that the options my finite …fully
human mind and heart can think of are so incomplete once God starts revealing
his ideas to my heart. If I can ask God
to embed my character with the principles….responsiveness to God’s voice….self-discipline
and discretion of Joseph…I can do so much more with what God gave me.
Father…thank you for the reminder that my options are always
more than I can think of when I keep my heart focused on you. Forgive me for the times that I limit who I
am because I forget I can tap into the supernatural power that gave us Christ
in the first place. Help me to keep my
heart and mind completely open and willing to accept all the plans you have to
prosper me and bring about good in my life. Amen.
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