14 day plan

Reflections for Father's Day

Day 7 of 14

NIV

Matthew 1:18-19

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18This 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. 19Because 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.

Reflection:  Father’s Day

This Father’s Day, I am reflecting on the life of Joseph, the earthly father of our Lord Jesus Christ. What can we learn about Joseph?

We know he was a righteous man. Joseph was also a man of dignity. He faced the worst possible crisis a man could face before his wedding, as he learned of Mary’s pregnancy. Without reacting with bitterness or harshness, we find that Joseph made every effort to protect the love of his life – his wife.

Fathers – let’s always strive to do what is right, even when it may not seem the best way forward; even when life seems unfair and painful. That’s the best example we can set for our children on Father’s Day.

This Father’s Day, let us learn to handle crises with dignity and a ‘quiet spirit’, like Joseph. As believers, it is vital that we learn to hear God’s word for the benefit of our families and our ministries.

Question:  How long has it been since you heard clearly from the Lord?

Prayer:  Father God, we come together to pray for all fathers and grandfathers. Children are a blessing to us. Please bless the relationships children have this Father’s Day with their father, grandfather, and ultimately their relationship with you as their Father in heaven. Amen.

Matthew 1:1-25

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

2Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

3Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

4Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

6and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

7Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

8Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

9Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

10Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

11and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

12After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

13Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,

Abihud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

14Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Elihud,

15Elihud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18This 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. 19Because 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.

20But 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. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

22All 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”).

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