SAINTJOHNLUTHERAN EMPORIAVA.COM
  • Home
  • What we believe
  • Sermons
  • Daily Devotion
  • Media
  • Calendar
  • Contact us
Picture

"CONSIDERING 'THESE THINGS'"

12/21/2019

0 Comments

 

December 21, 2019
And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream ... (Matthew 1:19-20a)

There are many times when I wish God would speak to me from on high. Just open the heavens, shout (or whisper) a little guidance. Or send me an angel—or a letter, or a text message, you know, anything would be good. Because I just don't know what to do.

But of course, God usually doesn't do that. Angels are few and far between in my life, and (I'm guessing) in yours as well. Instead, we're left to do what Joseph did—lie awake, "considering these things" with the best wisdom we have available to us. We have to figure out what to do.

But the good news is that we do not have to "consider these things" on our own! Most of us are painfully aware of the limits of our own wisdom. But we have a better resource to rely on, what Paul calls "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24b).

James says this to us as well: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him" (James 1:5). We can ask for the help we need. We can ask about anything—even a situation as seemingly messed up as Joseph's, where he thought his future wife had cheated on him. God will not judge us for being in that situation. He will not say, "See, if you had listened to Me, you wouldn't need to ask for help!"

Jesus is not that kind of person. He listens to us when we are in trouble and cry out. He gives us the Holy Spirit's help to make decisions, even the terribly tough ones. After all, He knows what our lives are like. Isn't He the One who became a human being like us, to suffer, die, and rise for our sakes?

THE PRAYER: Lord, when I am in trouble, help me to cry out to You for help. You always hear me. Thank You. Amen.
Advent devotion by Lutheran Hour Ministries 

​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    D Rhoads

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019

    Daily Devotions

    All

    RSS Feed

Site powered by Weebly. Managed by SiteGround
  • Home
  • What we believe
  • Sermons
  • Daily Devotion
  • Media
  • Calendar
  • Contact us