"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21 NIV
Chances are, whatever profession you practiced differs from what you had dreamed of as a child. If that were true, we would have an overabundance of police officers, firefighters, and doctors. In our late teens, our parents and school counselors likely tried to help us find purpose by guiding us toward a profession. It's also likely that we ended up in different occupations than we started.
Jesus' parents, though, knew before his birth what his job would be. God even instructed them to give the child a name whose meaning reflected his mission, "the Lord is salvation." While his earthly father would train him as a carpenter, it was not his purpose. Instead, the commission from his Heavenly Father was to save us from our sins.
Did his parents have a foreshadowing of what this would mean, that to save us, he would also need to give his life? We don't know the answer, but what is recorded is evidence of their faithful obedience to God's will and their acceptance that this child would be the Son of God. While they may not have fully comprehended what the bringing of salvation meant, they trusted God completely.
Father God, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to save us. Give us the faith of Mary and Joseph, that while not fully comprehending, we trust and obey. Help us to relinquish our need for control and instead accept your will. Open us to your purpose for us and grant us obedient hearts. In the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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