SCRIPTURE: An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod intends to search for the Child in order to destroy Him.” So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. Matthew 2:13-14 AMP
The first advent of Jesus brought a lot of light into the world, but many people missed it. Light is helpful, even miraculous the way it exposes everything — from the beautiful, to the mundane, to the downright evil. Journey with author and blogger Amy Clemens as she explores the advent of one who said he was the light of the world…a light that shines in darkness…that exposes. A light that will make a second advent, with a power and glory no one will miss.
THOUGHT: By now, Joseph has seen enough of God’s incredible planning ability that he doesn’t hesitate to act immediately, in the middle of the night, when he is warned about Herod’s intentions to find and kill every male child under the age of two around Bethlehem. When I read the word “intentions,” it seems the angel may have warned Joseph before the words were even out of Herod’s mouth. They were still intentions, not yet orders. It heartens me that this is the kind of God we serve. If the chips are down and someone is attempting to thwart God’s will, God is watching, God will speak, God will move, God will save in ways both miraculous and mundane.
In this case, I think about how the Magi’s gifts may have come in handy, helping fund the midnight flight to Egypt as well as the unknown amount of time before Herod died and Jesus and his parents were able to return to Israel. Perhaps Mary and Joseph dreamed of all the things those gifts would buy, or build, or accomplish. But what if the gold was exhausted by the unexpected journey and the need to hide God-in-flesh from dangers he was never vulnerable to before? This story shows God working more closely with humans than he perhaps ever has, because his plan of salvation, his only son, is at stake. It is not the first time, and it is not the last, but it is a stage at which a toddler can do nothing to protect himself, and Joseph and Mary must listen, and follow instructions that don’t make human sense. Still, they do, and provide an example of loving parents, obedient to the God who cares even more than them.
SONG: Joseph https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiwWgd9YFvc
PRAYER: Oh Lord, help us be parents who listen for your every instruction and trust you for every provision needed to protect those you have entrusted to us. Help us hide in you, and with you inside, as the storms rage on.
Dear Reader,
I’m glad you’re along and I pray you will be blessed, challenged, and encouraged in your faith by something you read here.
There are archives by topic below – now more than 1000 of these daily meditations to browse.
ABOUT ME:
Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
Check out Walking When You’d Rather Fly, and learn more about the book and Amy’s other ministries. You will also find her devotional work at Words of Hope.
FREE TO YOU:
If you’d like to be notified of this blog each weekday, please look for the little blue “follow” button below (just above the topical search), and welcome!
asipoblog.com 