Devotion
Do not be afraid! The Lord is with you
David Jacobs
There are few cases of faith as impressive as with Joseph. In the church, Mary receives far more attention than Joseph, but I believe that his faith was tested in a very similar way. Many men are insecure about the idea of an unfaithful partner. Faced with a pregnant wife that he knows he did not have sex with, Joseph is met with a serious dilemma: does he trust her or does he do what many would do and believe that she was unfaithful? His faith was so strong that he was able to remain steadfast, patient with his love for Mary and for God. As the title of this devotional suggests, God was with him all along, reassuring him when he most needed it.
In the verse directly preceding these verses, Joseph plans to send Mary away secretly so that she would not be disgraced. We can assume that this was a difficult decision for Joseph: he was choosing to send away the woman that he wanted to marry. He had been faithful to her and she now told him that she was pregnant. He must have felt alone and still wanted to treat her with respect even though he thought that she might not have reciprocated this. God came to him, reassured him, rewarding him for his faith. By rewarding Joseph and Mary, God rewarded us all. They were never alone, and neither are we.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, Father to me and to Joseph, Father to Mary and to Jesus, I thank you for caring about us. Abba Father, I have doubted you and been wary of others when I could have been faithful. I ask that you clear my doubts and let there be no question of your power and presence. Help me to see that you surely rule with love and truth over all of eternity in Heaven. Amen.
Night Prayer
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Inspiration
When multiple flocks of sheep become blended, there is no need to worry. The good shepherd will call out to his sheep, and they come directly to him because they know his voice and will not confuse it with others. As God's people, we often become mixed up in things of the world. Sin is tempting as we surround ourselves with the wrong crowd; God is always watching and calls us back to the fold. We find Him when we are lost because we know the sound of His voice; it's the only one we've chosen to follow, and we do not confuse it with others.
Prayer
Dear God, when we are lost, we listen for You. Your voice is precious and will guide us back to the fold where we belong. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
The Word of God
Frances Taylor
If there's one thing I know about Christians and the Bible, is that there is an ongoing debate about whether it is the word of God or the word of men, and what that means. We all agree that the Bible is the living revealed word of God, but! There are wide differences in how that is interpreted. There are some who believe that every word of the Bible was dictated to someone who wrote it down. For others it is purely men's thoughts. For others, men were inspired by God to write their experience of God. I don't know where you find yourself on this continuum.
For most people who believe that the Bible is inspired either word for word or as guided by God, the Bible tells God's truth. Unfortunately for those of us who speak English, we have to rely the sources we have had over the years as guides to how the Scriptures should be interpreted. I have had many people ask me which translation is correct, but there's no clear answer.
The Bible has been translated ...
Morning Prayer
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Inspiration
Suffering will be a part of our lives as Christians. The New Testament is filled with warnings about the suffering Christians will incur because of their decision to follow Christ and not the ways of the world. Millions of Christians across the world are subjected to torture, isolation, and mockery just because they have chosen to follow Christ. But Christ has also assured us that we will not endure this suffering alone, and a reward lies ahead for all of those who suffer for the name of Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Dear God, I pray that in times of persecution and great tribulations, may you strengthen me and encourage me to keep going on. I also pray for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who endure great pain and torture for choosing to follow you. May you comfort them in these trying times, Lord. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
