It is one thing to not be known and be loved, but God fully knows you and what you are going through, and he loves you. Because he loves you, you never have to live in shame. You can trust his good purposes in your life. In this we rejoice!
Faith does not save us. A lot of people have faith in the wrong things. Just because they have faith that does not mean they are saved. Jesus saves us through faith. Faith is the instrumental means whereby the death and resurrection of Christ is applied to us individually.
When we know how loved we are, and we are living out of God’s grace we will love others the same way and show them the same grace that we have received. We can see our sin for what it is because we see the depth of the cross. We all need a grace awakening.
Grace is not an impersonal force. Ultimately, grace is found in a Person. Jesus is full of grace and truth. And because he has invaded your life and indwells you through the Holy Spirit when you accepted Christ alone as your Savior, you are fully loved and accepted. He is not mad at you or disappointed in you. He is not waiting for you to do something for him so that he can love you. He already loves you fully and completely.
When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, and he knew he wasn’t the father he knew that only one thing could have happened. She had been with another man. He was engaged to her which was the first part of the marriage process but until their public ceremony he would have lived separately from her and would not have been with her. He could have publicly renounced her by formally divorcing her in front of everyone.
We don’t do this to venerate these people or ignore their sins and shortcomings. We recognize that they were fallen, flawed, sinful human beings who needed a Savior. Yet we can look at their lives, see their example, and emulate their faith as well as reject their sinful tendencies (Hebrews 13:7; 1 Cor 10:6).
Christmas carols are great, just don’t get your theology or biblical accuracy from some of them.
But in small ways we are called to humbly follow Jesus even when we are misunderstood, or we don’t know how the situations will work out. As you review the birth story in the weeks ahead, consider the faith and faithfulness of these two servants who were obedient to God in the face of immense misunderstanding and scorn.
Our Heavenly Father is intimately acquainted with you and rejoices over you in love. We should not miss how the birth of Christ ties into the rest of Jesus’ life including his death and resurrection as well as our adoption into God’s family as his precious children.
Whenever a person is not standing on God’s word and speaking in alignment with God’s will, he or she is not speaking with authority. If a person tells you to do something that is immoral, illegal, or unbiblical you have no responsibility to obey that individual. In fact, to obey an immoral command is to disobey your Heavenly Father. This is why the scribes did not teach with authority. They were not teaching God’s word but instead their own novel ideas.
