Christmas Devotional Day 4: Grow in fellowship

Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

(Matt 1:19-21 NIV)

 

Though we are His Princesses, He doesn’t save every detail for us, only.

In this passage, we read that an angel appeared to Joseph and suggested he not be afraid and proceeds to deliver the message of what is happening.  The message is nearly identical to the one Mary received, but with one small but huge detail; only Joseph has been informed that the fate of the child bears a very glorious yet heavy burden;

 “.. you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

He, as in their unborn son, I’m sure he caught that.  But his people?  Their child would have a people?

 

Now I will not attempt to fill in the gaps in Scripture, but when it says next that “Joseph did just what the angel of the Lord had commanded him…” I feel like just a little more happened.  We read scripture in translations and we must refer to the original texts and Greek or Hebrew concordances to understand the divine messages.  So when we reach a new revelation, it is after pouring into the Scripture and breaking down the words.  We come to know Scripture by learning what was originally inspired by God.

 

Though Mary and Joseph were not all-knowing, they were hearing things firsthand.

Understand, they heard the same word used to describe both the Holy One who put the baby in Mary’s womb, AND the Holy One that was going to be born.. something they must have brought to discussion at least a time or two!

 

Recall Day 2 when the Angel Gabriel visited Mary.

In Luke 1:34-35, when questioned by Mary, the Angel describes how the conception happened, and explains that “the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

The snippet I found most fascinating is how he refers to the baby as “the holy one.”

The original Greek word for this label is none-other than hag-ee-os. the physically pure, morally blameless, most holy saint whom the baby originated from.

 

So the Holy One to be born is the Holy One that put him there

Though we already know, let’s just dwell on this, Ladies.

The. Same. One.

 I can’t see that Mary and Joseph missed the use of the same word to describe both

Imagine a connection like the one they must have had.  Picture you and your better-half comparing notes from a dream or a revelation in your day.  Try to collect enough creativity to even begin to recreate what they went through.  That’s amazing fellowship right there.  We should be so lucky to have moments like that in our most intimate human relationships.  It’s crucial that we pray for our partners, hope for them, and believe them when they feel they’ve received messages from the Lord.  He speaks differently to each of us, and Mary and Joseph are a perfect example of this.  He gave Mary the confirmation of her precious Son, and He gave the burden of the fact of His fate to Joseph.  I’d like to believe that together, they could build an understanding, and together they could lean on that faith as the days carried on.

 

 Have you experienced an instance where

you wouldn’t have more clearly understood a message from God,

had it not been for a moment of fellowship?

 

 

Your Fancy Little Takeaway:

Spend time in prayer and devotion with your husband, partner, best friend or favorite person to share biblical conversation with.  Ask meaningful questions that will stir intimate conversation.  Share a secret or a revelation.  Create a platform upon which you can dive into Scripture and break down the walls of misunderstanding.  Look up words in a concordance and see what the meanings tell you about otherwise familiar verses.  Learn what thoughts your companion has to share and maybe begin a new tradition of praying together.  Use this day to see how God brings people to discover HIm more deeply through relationships!

 

>>>>>>>READ Day 5: Girlfriends>>>>>>>

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