Corona Devo 3020

Sometimes God has plans that we would have never expected or imagined.  And sometimes, even when we feel that we are doing the right thing, or the Godly thing...God may reveal to us that (even so)...it is not His thing.

And so, we must remain open and vulnerable to the Lord's leading and teaching over our lives and hearts each day.  And--it doesn't hurt to keep one eye open for the Lord's angels, too.  You never know...  

In major decisions and minor ones, we absolutely should allow the Bible to be our roadmap and guardrail as we navigate the daily life-choices that face us.  

But, we must always remain malleable (able to be shaped and formed) by the hands of our Heavenly Father, too.

Take Joseph for example: He tried to do the right thing.  

He was engaged to be married to Mary, and in Bible days, that betrothed-stage was just as serious and binding as marriage.  He had committed to Mary.

And Mary had committed to him.  He knew that, and he also knew her well enough to know that she was committed to the Lord.  But when Mary shared with Joseph that she was pregnant and with-child before they had been "united" in marriage... Joseph had a difficult decision to make.  

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.  ~Matthew 1:18

Joseph no doubt talked to the Lord (prayed) about this situation.  And Scripture shares that although he was most likely deeply wounded at the physical reality of what was occurring...Joseph still chose grace and mercy and dignity in his response to Mary.  His decision to divorce her quietly was one of the most gracious ways for a man to respond in those days.  He could have had Mary stoned and most men would have (Deuteronomy 22:22).

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 1:19

However, sometimes God has plans that we would have never expected or imagined.  And sometimes, even when we feel that we are doing the right thing, or the Godly thing...God may reveal to us that (even so)...it is not His thing.

Joseph remained open and vulnerable to the Lord's leading and teaching, and...to His angels.

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  ~Matthew 1:24

Joseph's strong faith allowed him to remain malleable (able to be shaped and formed) by the hands of our Heavenly Father.  Joseph had truly believed that he was doing the right thing, but God revealed to him that it was not His thing...and Joseph pivoted and did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.  

~~~

Are we possibly faced with a difficult decision today?   Is there a moral choice that we have been mulling over?  

Or perhaps, we were sure that we were doing the right thing, or the Godly thing...but maybe God is revealing to us that (even so)...it is not His thing.

We might have never expected or imagined what God has in mind, but will we be malleable (able to be shaped and formed) by the hands of our Heavenly Father today?

~~~

About a year ago, when our oldest son was finalizing his college search, my husband had a (prayed-for) peace and a comfort about a certain college (College A).  Most things had fallen into place regarding it, and we were certainly covering the decision in prayer.  And so, when a late-entry, far-away college choice entered the race (College B), my husband continued in prayer and truly believed that he was doing the right thing, and the Godly thing in sticking-with his "College A" support for our son.

But, in time and in undeniability: God revealed to each of us that (College A) was not His college for our son.

Through a process of prayer, fasting, Bible study and vulnerability-to-God's-authority, my husband remained malleable (able to be shaped and formed) by the hands of our Heavenly Father, and through this faith and obedience, the Lord led our son and our blessing over him to Arizona (a thirty hour drive), instead of Pennsylvania (a two hour drive).

My husband pivoted, and supported the college that we felt God leading our son to.

And the college that our son isnow  attending is absolutely the one that God had ordained for him to be at.  

~~~

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. (19) 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.  

(20) 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. (21) 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.”  

(22) All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: (23) “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).  

(24) When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (25) But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.  ~Matthew 1:18-24

~~~

Ask Joseph.

Ask my husband.

Ask ourselves:

Sometimes God has plans that we would have never expected or imagined.  And sometimes, even when we feel that we are doing the right thing, or the Godly thing...God may reveal to us that (even so)...it is not His thing.

And so, we must remain open and vulnerable and malleable to the Lord's leading and teaching over our lives and hearts each day.  And--it doesn't hurt to keep one eye open for the Lord's angels, too.  You never know... 


The Dream of Saint Joseph by Philippe de Champaigne, 1642 © Getty Museum, Los Angeles


Blessings, 

sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

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