Matthew 1:18b-25; Luke 1: 26-38

The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

Reading for   October 3, 2012      Page 13-14   Matthew 1:18b-25; Luke 1: 26-38

In these last two readings, God invited four individuals to take a leap of faith. Zachariah was serving in the Temple, the place where God would be expected to speak to His people. An angel of the Lord spoke, and Zachariah balked. (However, nine months later Zachariah made his leap of faith. Page 17-18, Luke 1:57-80) Elizabeth leaped as she praised God, “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children” (Luke 1:25).

Mary also leaped as she responded to Gabriel’s announcement to her, “Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true” (Luke 1:38).

Joseph leaped twice! When he learned Mary was pregnant, he had several choices. He could have had used the Bible to have Mary killed, or shamed as he publicly divorced her. However, he chose none of those options. He chose to not harm Mary, to not abuse, expose, shame, ridicule, or demean her value and dignity. He chose to protect her. Where did he get such a notion that was so counter cultural to his times? When Joseph could not see God’s hand in the circumstance of Mary’s pregnancy, Joseph trusted God’s heart. Joseph responded by trusting the nature and character of God. Joseph leaped again when he responded to an angel of the Lord’s appearance to him in a dream, “When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife” (Matthew 1:24).

As I follow Jesus and seek to make the life in Christ my way of life I am confronted daily by two scriptures:

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13).

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:28-29).

Daily, God is providing me with opportunities to take a leap of faith and respond to His hand at work in my life. The only question is whether I’ll balk; or will I leap in faith.

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading of the Psalms

 attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

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The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ

Reading for   October 4, 2012      Page 14        Luke 1: 39-56