Wednesday, December 11, 2013

December 12, 2013

"When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:13-15

"After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,  and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene." Matthew 2:19-23

Christmas is the favorite time for most people. There is so much that is good about it and so much to like!

As followers of Christ, we rejoice in the birth of our Savior and all blessings He brought to us! 

As family members it is about sharing love and spending time and surprising one another with gifts!

But the first Christmas was a clinic on what it means to be obedient and the blessings obedience brings. Borrowing from the example of Joseph we have so far seen that obedience means surrendering your will to God and it also involves surrendering your weaknesses to Him.

Our lesson on obedience today involves surrendering you way to Him. That is what Joseph and Mary did!

What does it mean to surrender your way to the Lord?

Simply, your way is how you live or your way of life.

That would include your affections. What do you love the most?

Joseph loved God more than anything or anyone else.

That would include your agenda. What drives you and energizes you?

Joseph was driven to please God and protect his family so he fled to Egypt in the middle of the night rather than heading back home to Galilee.

It would include your attitudes. What is the condition of your heart and mind as you navigate through life?

Joseph was so guided by his desire to please God that whatever God asked of him he did promptly and positively.

Finally, surrender to God directs your actions. Surrendered people serve.

Joseph put his preferences and plans aside to do what God wanted Him to do. His actions and activities were directed by the word of God.

Obedience involves surrender and surrender requires:

* putting God's affections ahead of yours

* placing God's agenda ahead of yours

* preferring Godly attitudes above yours

* practicing God's actions instead of yours

Joseph got it!

Do you?