Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 119:65-72
Ps 119:65-72 Teth
Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord. Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands. Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I obey your word. You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
Matt 1:20-21
But after he had considered this [i.e. – divorcing Mary quietly], 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."
Joseph was no fool and he knew that what he was about to have to face would be very difficult for him, but even more so for Mary. They did not have the internet back then, but word traveled fast in a small town – especially news about a young woman who was pregnant but not married. He thought the best thing was to let her go so she could get out of town and deal with her baby.
But God! had a wonderful plan. Jesus was the promised Messiah. This was not how the Jewish leaders (and scholars) had thought this would come to pass. After all, the son of David would come into the world with pomp and would surely be born into a “better” part of this family. He was to be born in Bethlehem, so it would have to be someone living in that region, not a carpenter from Nazareth.
God had (and has) a way of working things out from what we consider to be the worst mess possible. When we don’t fit the mold of what we think it should be, he can still use us to carry out his will. He can take the misfits of society (Rahab for instance) and use us to fulfil his promises. Don’t despair. Don’t give up. Don’t think that your life is meaningless. Give yourself to God and he will use you in his way.
O Lord, what a joy to know that you can take any mess mankind can make and use it to your glory and to carry out your will. You have taken my failures and my sinful mistakes, and you have used them to make me a better person and to put me in just the right place to honor you. I thank you and I praise you! Give your peace to those who are hurting. Jesus, there are some who are lonely and feel they are living in a void, so please hold their hand so they know they are not alone. Use me to be there for them as I have the opportunity. I pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
