I intend to use this space to post observations and things I’m learning about discipleship, the church, leadership, and life! My goal is to write something once or twice a week.
Here are some thoughts from my Time with God a few days ago.
Joseph, husband of Mary, did what he was told.
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “ Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)
When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (Matthew 1:24-25)
It’s easy to take Joseph for granted, but his obedience was critical to the salvation story. We’ll have two more instances in Matthew 2. Note here that the angel asked Joseph to do two things: don’t fear to take Mary as your wife and call his name Jesus. And in verses 24 and 25 he did precisely that. “He did as the angel of The Lord commanded him.” He took his wife and he called the son’s name Jesus.
Doing what God wants. James 1.22, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” That should be the theme of my life. As an example, since I journal my Times with God (TWG) using Evernote, I can see how many there are. I’ve just noticed that I’ve recorded 190 TWGs since April 15. But there are about 260 days between then and now. Or about 37 weeks. Is 5 days per week of TWG good? Or would daily be better? My wife, June, and I just committed to exercise every day in 2014. Can we also commit to TWG every day in 2014? Also, to put what we read into practice?
Joseph did what he was told. And it’s only a sentence in the Bible, but his obedience would have been difficult, yet it was a critical part of Jesus’ life.