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Another love : Advent Day 23
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. Luke 2:1-7
Lets go back a bit because there was another love we do not want to miss, and it often gets skipped.
This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: Matthew 1:18-22
Joseph was a honorable man and his love for Mary caused him to listen to God as well. At least that's how I read it! He chose to father Jesus as a step father and helped raise Him to a good man, according to God's will. That took a good trust in God as well as love for God, he met with an angel and had to decide if he believed the whole thing, and He chose well!
God had to know that Joseph would do this or they would not have been chosen for the task at hand.
Don't you think God had a great idea there? He knew what He was going to do, and Jesus did too, though it was not easy for Him to do this, we know His love for us was tested that night in the Garden of Gethsemane before He was crucified. He asked the Father if there was any other way to achieve the same result and ended wit thy will be done. God's will was done. That is another love level there, giving up your will for God's will?
God wants you to love one another, how about the rest of this week you put the other people first like Jesus did, out of love.
Heaveny Father help us to love others the way you did, putting others before us. In Jesus name.