F O O T H O L D
READING
1 THE INVASION OF PLANET
EARTH
PRAY Thank you for the
Bible, Lord God; please help me to see the point
today
READ Matthew 1:1825
THINK What does this story
tell us about God and his ways?
FOCUS The first Christmas
was an invasion an invasion in which the
living God himself came into
our world.
Mary and Joseph were engaged they did not yet live together as
man and wife, but they had
entered into a binding union that could
only be ended in those days
by divorce. Then horrors; Joseph
discovered that Mary was
pregnant.
THE PAIN OF OBEDIENCE (1820).
Few things hurt more than to be
wrongfully doubted. What
pain it must have caused Mary to see the
doubt and disappointment in
Joseph's eyes. There must have been
some apprehension too, for
they would have known that Joseph could
bring her into public
disrepute if he wished. The fact that he
decided against this (19)
gives us some indication of his
character.
THE PROMISE OF THE AGES (2023).
Joseph had decided to divorce Mary
quietly, but God's angel
uncovered the truth of the situation to
him. What a marvellous
moment when Joseph heard Mary vindicated and
realised that God's plans
had come to a climax in the child she
would bear.
THE COURAGE OF COMMITMENT (24,25).
Various remarks in the lifetime
of Jesus leave little doubt
that the story of Mary's pregnancy was
known, and a subject of
gossip. It took courage to do as Joseph did
and obey the Lord. God still
wants those who will do as they are
commanded. Put yourself in
the shoes of Mary and Joseph. How would
you have reacted?
PRAY Ask God to help you do
what he wants.
