Devotion for Tuesday, January 23, 2024

“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).

This has only happened once and we cannot begin to imagine the difficulty for Mary of being a virgin and being pregnant.  Who would believe such a preposterous story?  As with all things the Lord does, there is great intentionality, if even for us it is a great mystery.  What the Lord has done is break the bond between the old Adam and the new person raised in Christ.

Lord, I may not fully understand why this was necessary, but I do trust that You have a reason for everything.  Guide me Lord in the way You know I need to go without my spending too much time speculating on things that are mysterious to me.  I know there are many who have speculated away, but what I believe I do need to know is that God is so thorough that He leaves nothing undone that needs to be done.

Lord Jesus, in Scripture You seem both easy to approach, but also tough as nails for what is right and fitting.  I’m often not sure which to choose.  But that is a part of the problem isn’t it?  Like me, You are a whole and complex person.  Even more so because You are God in the flesh.  Help my spirit to take comfort in the fact that You take care of the smallest detail, if even in ways that I do not fully fathom.  Lead me to live by faith trusting You always.  Amen.