Before you begin, take a few moments to find and create for yourself a quiet space. You can turn off your phone and close any chat or other things that might interrupt your time. Give your time and attention wholly to God for the next while.

You might say a prayer, inviting God to speak to you, to reveal Himself to you and to help you grow in your knowledge and understanding of who He is and who He calls you to be.

 

¹ This is the genealogyof Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham……

¹⁸ 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 yetdid 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.

 

Meditation:

• Matthew invites us to look beyond the scenes of history’s most crucial birth. What he shows us is that Jesus had His origins in God’s eternal plan, and that the Babe of Bethlehem embodies that plan’s fulfillment. Jesus’ genealogy established His descent from Abraham and David. His virgin birth fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy.
• Joseph is a righteous man, faithful to God’s law (v19).  Even though he may think Mary had treated him badly, he determined to treat her well. He feared that Mary would be subject to a public disgrace, and perhaps even stoning for immoral sexual activity.  God directed Joseph through an angel in a dream.  He obeyed and took Mary home as his wife.
• The angel quoted Isaiah 7:14 to tell Joseph “the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(v23).  Joseph accepted the message of the angel that Mary (a virgin) was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. And Christians throughout the ages have accepted this message, too. The name “Immanuel” is God announcing to the world that the Child conceived by the Holy Spirit is Himself God: God, come to be “with us”. The name “Jesus” means “deliverer” or “saviour”. It expresses the purpose of His coming. God became one of us in order to “save His people from their sin”.
• At what point in your life have you most felt Jesus’ presence? How have you experienced Jesus as “Immanuel” in your life lately?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

On your spiritual journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.