The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Tuesday
December 30, 2008
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
and told him, "Get up and take the child and his mother back to the land of
Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead."
So Joseph
returned immediately to Israel with Jesus and his mother. But when he learned
that the new ruler was Herod's son Archelaus, he was afraid. Then, in another
dream, he was warned to go to Galilee. So they went and lived in a town called
Nazareth. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets concerning the Messiah:
"He will be called a Nazarene."
Matthew 2:19-23
After rereading these accounts in the life of Joseph I want to name the next grandson born into this family Joseph. I mean Josephs in the Bible were dreamers and dream interpreters, but more than that – both Josephs were obedient and feared God – not man.
We must realize that Joseph was a real man. He worked and cared for his family just like any man does today. Most of the men I know truly enjoy their jobs and once they find one they like, they like to "stick with it." Well, I'm sure Joseph was the same way. Since these are basically the only windows we have to view his life we might even say that he was a common man, a simple man, who truly enjoyed living a quiet, simple life. Yet, that is not what he was "called" to do. He was called to be the earthly father of a Heavenly Son.
God had a larger plan in Joseph's life. Jesus, God's Son, was observing his father's reverent fear of God. Jesus learned that it was okay to move when God calls you to do so. Jesus learned by example not to be tied to places and things. In other words, Jesus observed his family constantly moving out of their comfort zone.
What in the world would lead someone to move to a city that had been described as nothing good coming from it? Only God!
God has used all of these lessons to affirm that we are obeying Him. I hunger to be an "established" person. I hunger to have our ministry be an "established" ministry – to again set up a coffeehouse in one place and stay there, but that hasn't been God's plan for us so far.
Father, thank You for again taking me out of my comfort zone and into Your plan. Yes, I know, I have been dragging my feet, but with the Holy Spirit's power I know that I can do all things through Jesus Christ. Thank You again for Your Word and the power it has to teach us and lead us into Your plan for our lives. You deserve all praise!
