‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
God’s Perfect Plan and Provision
Isn’t God the coolest? He’s thoughtful and attentive, a detailed organizer, and a planner. He’s quite the designer and very creative. His imagination is unmatchable, He’s a great communicator and a fierce but loving protector; and He’s given us a King, a ruler who will shepherd His people well. We can rest assured that we are safe under His ruling care – and we can rejoice that His Kingdom knows no end.
The circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth were nothing short of miraculous. The timing, location, and events that occurred were ordained by God, long before Jesus was conceived.
LGG Devo p48, The Promised Messiah
Going Futher
Foreshadowings: Micah 5:2 is a Messianic prophecy quoted when the magi were searching for the king born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:6). These wise men from the East were told that from the tiny village of Bethlehem would come forth the Prince of Peace, the Light of the world. Micah’s message of sin, repentance, and restoration finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ who is the propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:24-25) and the only way to God (John 14:6). (to read the full commentary visit https://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Micah.html)
Tod
ay’s readings are a beautifully designed landscape. From Hosea, to Micah, to Matthew we see how the Scriptures paint a wonderfully vivid picture of God’s work and unfolding plan. For me it is a picture that fosters trust and instills comfort and peace. The artistry of our Master Creator both in creation and His Word makes me love and worship Him and leaves me wanting to spend more time with Him. to see Him close-up and to know Him more.
We’ve made it to the final week of our study!This final week of our journey will take us through passages that focus on being “anchored in hope”. Our memory verse is from Hebrews 6:19-20, which you will find it in the image below. It will be the focus of our journey on Friday but until then, I encourage you to read the verse daily which will make Friday’s journey even more meaningful.
The final challenge for Enduring Hope is:
Why is hope and anchor for our souls?
What have you learned about hope in the past few weeks that has changedyour understanding of God’s character?
How has He deepened your faith and increased your endurance?
Record His faithfulness, and remember His goodness!
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5
I’m sure as we go through this week, we will discover many things about the “nature of hope” but if I had to sum it up today as we begin – I would use the phrase “life-changing”. I hope the following image/my “SOAP NOTES” will give you a glimpse of what I mean …
Don’t forget to visit https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/ for today’s Love God Greatly blog post for some insightful commentary on today’s passage.
MAKE IT PERSONAL-
How would you sum up the “hope” that results from our faith in Christ?
This introduction is not my own. I borrowed it from the Love God Greatly Journal, and I’m guessing some version of it has been on their blog page, so you may have already seen it. However, if I was going to write an introduction meant just for our little group, one that would encourage each participant to be committed to and participate in this little community – I couldn’t have written it better than this. When I started this group two or three years ago it was in part out of concern for those who couldn’t get out or didn’t have a group to be a part of. Years ago God called me to equip, encourage, and empower women with His Word and I have been trying to do just that since the day He called me. However, because of family responsibilities, health issues of my own, and the whole covid shut-down I was struggling with the commitment of the two in-person groups I led,. So this group became a God directed outlet of hope to help others to stay or be strengthened in their faith by spending time in God’s Word, both personally and also with an online group of women hungry for the same thing. My hope and prayer continues to be that our little community will develop into one where we share/discuss what we are learning or simply a favorite part of the day’s passage, and even praises and prayer requests. To quote the opening and closing words of the following introduction, “- I know this is hard. … but [ladies] we were not made to be alone; we were created for community.”
I’m praying for each of you but I sure would love to know whose participating. It’s easy to let me know, simply share a comment or hit the like button after reading the introduction I can’t wait to see what God has for us in this study!
He says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10
The day I gave birth to Annie, my first daughter, was filled with excitement. Seventeen days past her April Fools due date we were finally going to meet this child I had waited on and prayed for, for eight long years. From the early morning ultra-sound to the late-afternoon delivery the day was filled with excitement and wonderment, and the room and hallway filled with family and a posse of friends from our new church. After the excitement of the day – when the room stood empty – friends and family gone …new dad home to rest … baby girl wheeled back to the nursery for TLC from the nurses ..and me – alone. Alone to absorb all that had happened, to embrace the reality that I was a mother, that God – after all these years – had not only heard my prayers for a child but had answered them. I reached for my Bible on the nightstand beside me and there was peace in the stillness of the room – peace in the knowledge that I was not alone. While there isn’t time or space here to explain all that transpired between me and God in the beauty of the stillness – I can tell you that it was in those still and quiet moments that He awakened my soul; and while I didn’t know it at the time – He started me on a path that would lead me to understand the truest meaning of ‘Be still and know that I Am God’. A statement which is best defined in the context of our verse today as “cease striving”.
Actually, He had started me on the path just about a year before Annie was born. Long story short, I had worked for years trying to make God happy enough with me that He would give me a child. When the prayer went unanswered despair and poor choices would inevitably follow and then the days of striving to be good enough would begin again. This was a cycle that continued for years – That is, until my mom shared Philippians 4:11-13 with me, a passage that teaches contentedness in whatever circumstances we are in. In need or in plenty, well-fed or hungry… and yes pregnant or not – God wanted me to be content – not just with my circumstances but with Him and His will for my life. Which is exactly what I committed to do. Don’t get me wrong, it did not stop the prayers for a child but it changed the way I prayed and the response to the monthly answer. And now here I sat, talking with God, in a hospital room waiting for the nurse to bring me my baby girl! I could have never seen then what would come through this child and the years ahead of us but through it all – and to this day – I have learned (and continue to learn) with much practice – to:
“be still and know that He is God”
rest, knowing He is in control
stop, and remember His will is always better than my desires
cease striving to get what I want … and instead
surrender to His will
let go of frustration and disappointment ~ and
trust His way and perfect timing
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
But he replied to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
Luke 8:21 NET
As I was reading back through my notes on verse 21 and thinking about how to put what I had journaled into words, the words from an old church camp song came flooding through my mind. I don’t remember all the words but it included several verses about not being able to get to heaven on roller skates, or in a rocking chair, or with a limousine. If I could add one verse to these after reading today’s passage, it would be “Oh you can’t get to heaven by who you know.” That’s the jest of today’s passage and Jesus’ response to His mother and brothers desire to see Him. Actually, the commentary I read said they were concerned for His health and wanted to take Him home to rest. However, being in the middle of a very important lesson for which a very large crowd had gathered no doubt influenced His answer. No disrespect was intended only the need for them and all who were listening to understand that, first and fore-most He was God’s son and thus it was those who were “hearing the Word of God and doing it” that bore the truer family-ties.
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
Romans 10:17 NLT
More than once in sharing the Gospel with someone or in response to asking someone if they are a believer, I have received answers like – “Yeah, I’ve been baptized and go to church every Sunday”, or “I’ve always tried to live the good Christian life”, or “well, I don’t go to church any more but my mom and dad took me every week when I was growing up …” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that those who answered like that aren’t saved but we certainly can’t hang our hope of salvation on going to church or living a good Christian life. Salvation comes through faith alone in Christ alone, and as Paul wrote – faith comes through hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We are saved by grace through faith – not church, or baptism, our good works, our ‘knowledge’ of Jesus, or our earthly family ties.
It is worth noting and perhaps helpful to understand that Jesus’ response to His mother and brothers came shortly after His sharing the parable of the sower. A lesson on a sower and his seed and the responsibility of those who hear the Word to let it penetrate the heart and bring about good works. The lesson is the same for His mother and brothers. They cannot depend on who they are to Him but must respond to who He is to them.
Sandwiched in between the parable of the sower and and the response to his family came a brief statement about letting your light be seen. This follows the teaching on the seed that landed on the good soil – defined as “the ones who, after hearing the Word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance. One commentary explains it like this:
the meaning of Luke’s verses seems to be that listeners are to be like the good soil, accept the seed, and produce fruit (Luke 8:8). In the same way, people are to “enter” and “see the light,” working hard to understand the truth and application of Jesus’ teaching (Luke 8:18).
Bibleref.com on Luke 8:15-18
Some Application: Turning facts into action (or knowledge into wisdom)
I feel like I am constantly learning more about who Jesus is and who He has called me to be. So I loved seeing that even though Mary had the personal knowledge of who He was, backed up by the angelic announcement, she was still learning more about who He was, what it meant, and how to deal with it.
We don’t get to heaven because of who our family is or what they believe – but solely because of what we do with what we hear in the Gospel. For example Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16, 6:47, and 13:34.
Response to God’s Word
Father, I have heard Your Word all of my life and I believe … You are Go, the Father-make of heaven and earth. I believe You so loved the world – me included – that You sent Your only son to live and die for me. I believe He lived a spotless life despite the pain and temptations He faced – He stayed TRUE to living out Your will for all to see. I believe He was born of the virgin Mary, and that He intercedes for me at the right hand of Your throne and is able to forgive my sins. I believe He left examples and instructions on how to live and that You have empowers me, as a believer, with the Holy Spirit so that I might live as You have called me to live – the same Spirit who teaches me all things and reminds me of everything You’ve said. He also convicts me of my sin and leads me to repentance. I believe in the Holy Spirit, and pray that I might be always yielded to His teaching, leading, and conviction toward repentance. In Jesus’ name I pray – Amen and Amen!
Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.
Psalm 37:27-29 ESV
When I think about God being “JUST” I think I get it – but can I just admit that I’m having difficulty trying to put it into words? So bear with me as I borrow some words from Jen Wilkin’s book as well as from the trusted words of Scripture. For instance, the words found in Deuteronomy 32:3-4 tell us that “{God’s] ways are entirely ‘just’. He is a faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true. Or how about, Deuteronomy 10: 17, where we read – “He shows no partiality and takes no bribes.” The Psalmist wrote that God “judges the world with righteousness; He executes judgment on the nations with fairness.” (Psalm 9:7-8). We see this fairness played out in Psalm 37:27-29, where we read, “For the Lord loves justice and will not abandon His “faithful ones.” They are kept safe forever, but the “children of the wicked” will be destroyed…” God’s judgment is based on the same criteria for everyone, which was/is on our positioning with God, or what we understand as New Testament believers to be justification through Christ.
God’s justice is untainted by sin. He is always right and perfect in all He does. His being just, is based on His knowledge of our actions, thoughts, and motives – which are weighed or measured against His perfect law, given so we might know right from wrong.
“But the cross is where Christ suffered for the sins of many. none is righteous, no, not one (Rom. 3:10). The fate of Sodom, (Gen. 19) is the fate we all deserve. At the cross, God’s towering justice for the many, for me, white-hot and sulfurous, holy, equitable to the crimes it repaid, rained down from heaven on the only just human ever to walk the earth. Willingly, the just suffered for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. This is why the Bible reminds us that if we confess our sins, God is not only faithful to forgive our sins, but also just [to cleanse us]. Because Christ was punished in our place, God would be unjust to punish us for a sin that has already received its recompense. – The need for excuses, for self-justification is removed. We are justified before God in Christ [alone].”
Thus, “The life of the believer who loves the justice of God will be marked not by score-keeping, but by reverent obedience. it will be marked by a love of the moral law that reshapes our desires to reflect those of our heavenly Father. It will be marked by humble submission to where our good Governor sets the limits of what is right The immediate effect of understanding God’s justice will be an inward-facing desire to obey. The long-term effect will be an out-ward-facing desire to do justice for others.
Called to Do Justice
Much like we are called to be holy, loving, and good – we are also called to “do justice” or to “act justly”. …and what does the LORD require of you – but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with Your God? (Micha 6:8) “We act justly when we intercede on the behalf of widows and orphans, sojourners, and indigents. We act justly when we intercede on their behalf, ensuring that they are treated as humans created in the image of God. We should be the first to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, visit the sick. We should secure justice for the oppressed, because to do so is to look like God. To do it as though we have done so for Christ Himself (Matthew 25:35-40) “
“What is the will of God for your life? That you be just as He is just, delighting in His law … and doing justice daily as children of Your heavenly Father.”
All quotes unless otherwise noted are by Jen Wilkin from her book, In His Image
