Our scripture this week is Matthew 1:18-25
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Matthew 1:22-23
God had been telling people all along what His plan was for them and how He would help them back on the path He intended. The angel in Joseph’s dream quoted the prophet Isaiah, saying “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). Jesus came not only to fulfill prophecy but to help us see how those teachings were intended to guide us back to a relationship with God.
Joseph has been given a wonderful opportunity to make a difference to the world. His dream was the means God used to reach out to him. God reaches out to all of us but we often miss (or ignore) the sign He sends us. We are too busy to listen or we are simply not interested in the task God intends for us. What a difference it would make if we could hear Him clearly!
God’s response to that is that we can, through prayer and spending time in the Word. God wants us to be connected to Him, but we must make the effort to receive the signal He sends. He sent Jesus to be the best signal of His love ever given. Don’t miss it!
Patient God, we are not the people You want us to be and we scramble around thinking we can find answers ourselves. Help us to see that only Your love and Jesus’ sacrifice can give us what we seek, an eternal relationship with You. Amen.