Christmas Advent Devotional – Day 2
Advent – Day 2
A supernatural baby. This second day of our Advent devotional will entail a quick look at the conception of Christ. The previous devotional looked at the importance of genealogies, tracing Christ’s earthly ancestry as outlined in Matthew 1. The word Advent means “coming,” and we are taking time to reflect on the birth of Jesus, as well as His second coming. We will continue in the book of Matthew, picking up where we left off yesterday.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-20
18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, 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.
Devotional Thoughts
These three verses contain a wealth of cultural and biblical knowledge with implications that mold our faith. First, in verse 18, Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, yet in the next line, Joseph is called her husband. The cultural rites of marriage then were different within the Jewish culture. Marriages were arranged by parents, and once the terms of the contracts were completed, they were called husband and wife. The couple however did not live together for at least a year after the negotiation even though they were husband and wife by contract. This was in part to prove purity and fidelity. In Mary’s case, while she was still within that betrothal year, she was found with child. Even with today’s advancement in technology affording many women the ability to have children through surrogacy and the like, a child conceived by the spirit is a stretch of imagination. Yet, our very faith hinges on believing this fact. Though Joseph was Jesus’s earthly father because he was married to Mary, His actual biological father was God.
Faith in God involves stretching yourself beyond what you see, feel, hear and smell. He is God, and through his love, he gives us the capacity to believe in things beyond what the earthly realms offers. When we confine ourselves to only what we can logically explain, we have veered from faith into scholarly definitions. Yet, the highest rewards come from walking in faith. Taking God at His word. Perhaps you are in a season that makes no sense to you like Mary was: pregnant and doubted. Or like in Joseph’s case, feeling incredibly broken-hearted and betrayed. Have faith in a God who is holding you in His hand and crafting a good ‘tomorrow’ for you. There was a purpose to Joseph’s disappointment. He was going to have the opportunity to nurture the one who would be called the Son of God! There is a purpose to the season you find your self in right now.
Christ – Son of Man, Son of God
An angel had to appear to Joseph to persuade him to not divorce Mary. The angel then explained to Joseph in a dream that the baby Mary carried was conceived of the Holy Spirit. The Lord employs different ways to get our attention and to speak to us. In this brief passage we see the appearance of angels, the use of dreams, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the type of faith that extends beyond our previously known theology to accept it. A brief glance through the book of Hosea shows us that God has no desire to follow our man-made patterns, or to fit in our neat theological boxes. He is God: totally sovereign and all-powerful. Our choice to believe in Him or not does not change who He is, but it changes our destiny and our eventual eternity.
Jesus, the Son of God is ever present with us, granting us access to walk in the heavenly places of his lineage while on earth. He grants us access to frame our worlds through prayer, he grants us access to relationship with the Father through belief in Him, and grants us access to power that enables us to overcome challenges.
Prayer
Dear God, I acknowledge you as the source of life and power. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus Christ, that I may be saved, and walk in greater purpose. Increase my capacity to believe. Increase my faith, especially in those instances where I have never walked that path before. And use me to bring light and hope to many around me. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Previous Devotional
Christmas Advent Devotional Day 1.
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God bless you.
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