Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this week is Matthew 1:18-25.

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. 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 1:20-21

The angel explains the situation to Joseph much as it was told to Mary earlier. There is an air of concern in this visitation. After telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, Joseph is told that this child “will save His people from their sins” (verse 21). That’s a pretty heavy message to receive. Not many couples begin their married life with a burden and a promise such as this.

Joseph is told, as Mary was, not to be afraid. God is doing something wonderful through them and while there may be implications, God tells them it will be worth whatever they encounter. It is not implied that they have no choice, God’s call to us always involves us making a decision – to accept the call He places on our lives or to go our own way. God could do whatever He wants, but He chooses to act in a way that allows human freedom.

How is God calling you to choose today? Our daily decisions may not carry the weight of the call to Mary and Joseph, but we are faced with choices all the time. May we be as steadfast in our faith as Joseph and Mary were, choosing to trust God even in the small things, as well as in times of stress and conflict.

Gracious God, we are thankful for the free will You have given us, to be able to choose for ourselves rather than living out a forced path. Help us to hear Your word and learn and grow in it, making wise decisions in accordance with Your will, Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 1:18-25.

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. 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.
Matthew 1:18-19

Joseph seems to be a good and faithful man. He also seems kind in that he “did not want to expose her to public disgrace” (verse 19). God often chooses broken people to be His representatives, but in the case of Mary and Joseph we don’t hear about their flaws, only their love for God and each other.

In their society and time, having a child out of wedlock was a huge thing. It either pointed to infidelity or premarital relations, neither of which was acceptable under the Law. Mary knew the truth behind this, God’s miracle of the Holy Spirit coming upon her, but Joseph was yet unaware. However, rather than an angry and vengeful response, he plans “to divorce her quietly” (verse 19).

Can we choose to be like Joseph when we feel we have been wronged? Jesus would later teach this caring love, being kind even to those who have hurt you. We need to follow Jesus’ instruction and behave as Joseph did – seeking justice but not revenge, loving and obeying God’s Law, but not using it as a weapon against each other.

Loving Lord, we are often hateful toward one another when we are in conflict. Help us to see each other in the light of Your love that we may resolve our issues peacefully. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 1:18-25.

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. 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. 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. 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.” 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”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25

In the four Gospels, only two contain a reference to the birth of Jesus. Mark and John begin with Jesus fully grown and beginning His ministry. Luke contains the beautiful birth and visitation story that is so familiar and played out through children’s programs and nativity scenes. Matthew contains only a sentence (verse 25) “…and she gave birth to a son. And he gave Him the name Jesus”, not a lot of detail regarding the circumstances.

However Matthew’s story is important to us because it tells us of an ordinary person – Joseph – saying yes to Jesus. We need to be aware of how essential this acceptance was to the birth and life of Jesus. Even in His wonderful plan to bring salvation to us, God took a chance on human free will. What if Mary or Joseph had said no?

In this week’s scripture we will learn of the dilemma Joseph faced in his time and culture. Being engaged to an unwed mother was no small thing in that society, but God had called Joseph to an incredible task – to be the earthly father and early role model for Jesus. Joseph’s decision is one we all have to make, to say yes to the presence of Jesus in our lives and accept the change that makes in our lives forever.

Loving Lord, we are grateful and humbled by Your gift of salvation through Jesus. Help us to see the part we are called to play in sharing the Good News with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 11:2-11

John and the people of his time had an expectation of what the coming of the Messiah would be like. Many expected that He would restore the kingdom of Israel, overthrow the Roman occupiers and punish the enemies who had oppressed them. This had been their hope for many years.

When Jesus appeared, He taught them to love – both their neighbor and their enemy. This must have been difficult for them to accept and it was certainly not what they expected. It is hard for us to realize that what we want is often not what God wants for us.

In this time of preparation we must make ourselves ready for the celebration of the Messiah’s birth, to welcome Jesus as the expected One and to learn what that means in our lives and in our world. God has a plan for every single one of us that involves making Him the center of our lives. This is how we can be made whole and made useful to the coming of the kingdom.

Loving Lord, we are not sure of what is to come, but we know we can trust that You have blessings for us. While we face difficulties every day in this life, You are waiting for us to give them up to You, to follow Your path for us and to be part of Your work in all of creation. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

We can empathize with John the Baptist for asking the question “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
(Matthew 11:3). God promised a Savior, a Son of David, one who would set us free. Yet John is in prison while Jesus teaches about love.

John had received special knowledge from God that Jesus was the One, but John didn’t see what he expected. Scripture doesn’t say what exactly John was looking for, but many thought the Messiah would come as a mighty warrior to destroy God’s enemies and restore His kingdom on earth by conquest.

Jesus replies to John’s question powerfully but simply “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor” (Matthew 11:5). Jesus came to be our king, but not in the way anyone expected. We need to change our hearts and lives to be part of His conquest of love and peace.

Heavenly Father, we often fail to see how You answer prayer because our ways are not Your ways. May we feel Your saving grace during this time of preparation and make ourselves ready to receive the gift of the Messiah. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 11:11

This is one of those “unusual” verses from Jesus that sound like riddles. We need to unpack this to try to understand what He is telling us here. Why does He sometimes speak like this?

Jesus wants us to think about the meaning of His teachings. He doesn’t always spell everything out for us. One of the meanings of the term “disciple” is “learner”. Jesus doesn’t want us just sitting around hearing what He says, He encourages us to use our gift of intellect to engage His teachings and then apply them.

In this verse He tells us that John was a great man, but less than anyone who enters the kingdom. Some scholars have analyzed this to mean John was the last prophet, still part of the old covenant, and those that follow Jesus are therefore greater than he in the kingdom to come. However, Jesus teaches us that in Heaven there is no ranking, no one greater than the other, merely God and us. I think this verse means that anyone living is less than anyone in the kingdom. How does this verse strike you? Regardless of our interpretation, Jesus is saying “seek the kingdom for it is greater than any earthly thing”.

Gracious God, we are often perplexed by the Word, not sure of its meaning at first glance. Help us to see Your plan for us and to study Your Word with diligence in order to do Your will. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’
Matthew 11:10

Jesus acknowledges to those who follow Him the special status of John the Baptist. Jesus wants the crowd to know this not so much to give John recognition, but for them to see one who is living out God’s call on his life. John has been faithful all his life, and will continue “even unto death”, as Christ Himself will.

This double call, to obey what God asks us to do, as well as show people what God desires of us is the definition of a life in Christ. We can’t “be” Jesus but we can “be like” Jesus, sharing with others how He wants us to live together and grow together toward the ideal God has for us. When we give our hearts, minds and lives to Him, we become the people He intended us to be all along.

John came to point people to Jesus, to help us be ready for the message God sent through Him. We must continually make ourselves ready for what God gives us and asks of us. Preparing the way of the Lord means we must be prepared first.

Gracious God, we long to be the people You want us to be. Help us to grow in Your love to become those people, made whole by Your spirit and enabled to spread the Good News to all. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Matthew 11:7-9

Jesus asks the crowd what drew them to John the Baptist. In some ways His questions are a little unusual to us, but the people of that time knew the reed was the symbol of King Herod, used on official seals and coins. Jesus was asking, in a roundabout way, what they were looking for when they came to the Jordan to see John.

His questions indicate the people shouldn’t have expected to see someone who was like their current ruler. Jesus is telling them the kingdom of God proclaimed by John is very different than the governments of men. He continues that John is more than just a prophet as they have heard from before. He preaches not just repentance but the coming of the Lord Himself.

Do we hear John’s call? Are we repentant, anxious, ready for the kingdom of God to come near? John told the crowds to prepare the way of the Lord and his call comes down through time to us. We must be prepared for Jesus’ coming today and always.

Loving Lord, we are often slow to hear and even slower to act. Help us feel the urgency to be prepared for Your coming. May we be ready to receive You and shout to the world “the Lord has come!” Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
Matthew 11:4-6

Jesus points out the miracles of healing He performs as a response to John’s question for those around to hear. If this isn’t proof enough of who He is, what would convince unbelievers? Jesus doesn’t often call attention to what He has done for us and He ends His answer with a blessing to “anyone who does not stumble” on account of His teaching (verse 6).

John is not actually testing Jesus but having been imprisoned by Herod perhaps he needs some reassurance. Jesus gives him an answer that quotes portions of the book of Isaiah, one of Israel’s greatest prophets. John is considered to be the last prophet of Israel, a transition between the faith of the Old Testament and the promise of the New Covenant realized through Christ’s coming. This answer is both to assure John that he was not wrong about Jesus but also to let him know that his work and sacrifice were not forgotten – John will later be executed by King Herod.

Sometimes we all need reassurance from Jesus, support in our trials and the knowledge that our faith is in the One who came to save us for eternity. Like John, we may experience setbacks and suffering while we live – Jesus never promised it would be easy! – but we can be confident that our Savior lives and has reconciled us to God.

Heavenly Father, we are weak and often we question Your plan for us. Help us to see through the issues we face that You are with us and ready to guide us always. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 11:2-11.

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 11:2-11

In this week’s lesson we hear of John’s disciples going to Jesus with a question from John, who has been imprisoned. It is a fair question – “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” John is probably not asking for himself, he is fully aware of Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, but it gives his followers and those around Jesus a chance to hear the answer themselves.

John is also concerned for his followers and is using this as a “handoff” of them to Jesus. Perhaps we need to be “handed off” in this season of Advent, asking to be reconnected to the One who has come for us. Jesus waits for each of us to answer the question and decide if we believe He is the Messiah.

We have individual responsibility for our acceptance of Christ as our Savior, no one else can do it for us. We can share the Good News and show His love for us, but the decision is up to each person themselves. In this season of Advent, may we be ready to say “yes” to His presence in our lives and show the world He lives in us.

Loving Lord, we question Your kingship and authority every time we stray from Your path. Help us to see that You alone are God, the answer to all our questions and needs. Amen.