Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Annunciation to Joseph

Romans 1: 5-16

 v5,6 "Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ" 

 God extends grace to us in every moment and it is at work in our faith life even before we know. This is what we have seen in the annunciation to Joseph. He has been given the Grace of the Lord and anointed to fulfill the purpose of God. The angel told him: “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Mt 1:20-22).

 Joseph is entrusted with a service to do for the Lord, to keep Mary as his wife so that she could deliver the son of God in order to fulfill the prophecy “the virgin shall be with child; ….. “a shoot will spring from the root of Jesse” (Is 7:14). As Joseph of Nazareth was drawn into the mystery of God becoming man, he too pondered what this could mean. The more he pondered, the more his anxiety intensified.

The power of God moves Joseph to leave his own security to travel and fulfill God's plan, even though like Mary, he is free to refuse.  He did not utter a word, but his actions do speak much louder than words. The Grace, which was given to Joseph, helped him to move out of his secured area and to accept pregnant Mary as his wife. Remember, the law provides him to divorce Mary and thus humiliate her in public.

 Personal grace must come before true service and submission to the Lord. The grace Paul had received concerned both his personal salvation and his service as the great example of divine favor. While in the midst of actively hunting for Christians, Paul had an encounter with Jesus that radically changed his life forever. Because of this experience, he received both grace and the courage to say about this encounter that gave hope to those looking for hope. We too need this grace to live a life worthy to the Lord.

PRAYER

Dear Lord, provide us with the grace to accept your desire and to move out of our secured area to the periphery so that we may be a hope for people looking for hope. Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

 The just will flourish like the palm-tree and grow like a Lebanon cedar. . . . . The just are like trees planted near streams; they bear fruit in season and their leaves never wither.  All they do prospers (Ps 1:3-4).

Lal Varghese, Esq.

Dallas MTC, Farmers Branch

Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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