Devotional Song: Go to this link … Please take take in a contemporary Christmas song, sung by Kathy Matea, What a Wonderful Beginning, … setting the scene for the coming of our Lord and Savior in the person of a babe in a manger
Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Matthew 1: 19 … Joseph’s choices when he discovered Mary’s pregnancy break with tradition and were likely inspired by God’s prevenient grace, … model behavior for what His coming SON would later preach
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
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Highlight Context – Matthew 1: 18-25 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … Joseph became an example for all Christians in the way he treated his betrothed
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Reference Passage #1 - NKJV Philippians 2: 5--11 … GO TO THIS LINK … Joseph was an example of “Christlikeness” when he chose to protect his pregnant betrothed Mary
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Randy Kilgore, shows an interesting focus on the unfolding of Mary and Joseph and their stories as the incarnation God was heralded in the life of these two who would become the earthly parents of the Christ child. An angel, coming to Mary, as described by Luke’s account, told of God quieting the fears of the one who would become the Arc of the New Covenant. Matthew, a sinner, turned Saint, would focus on the perspective of Joseph, who had a very non-Jewish response when he learned of the pregnancy of his betrothed.
In the account of Matthew (see inked above) we see Mary’s husband making a choice which was very non-traditional in those days for a Jewish male who was betrothed. He chose to protect Mary and the babe; and after the angel visited Joseph (see attached photo), he humbled himself and became a model of Christlikeness, living as his new Son would later preach.
You know, at this time of year, it is often said that JESUS is the “reason for the season.” However, I often challenge that and point out that from the perspective of Jesus, you and I are His “reason for the Advent season.” Jesus came in the form of a babe in a manger to save and to sanctify men like his earthly father Joseph, as well as sinners like you and me.
So, ask someone during this Advent season, “What’s the reason for the season?” And when someone says, “Jesus,” … tell them that Joseph was the unsung reason for the season; and see if they don’t ask you for an explanation. It will give you a very good opening to tell them that the Advent season shows us that Jesus was born to save sinners like Joseph … and all of us.
It’ll be a good way to witness to Jesus’ coming during this season.
My Prayer for Today … Lord, thank You for making ME the reason for this season. Amen
Blogger Note: Every day during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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