Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 Search Archive Print This Article Raise up a righteous shoot Thursday, December 18, 2008 Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. Matthew 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Oh, boy, what a way to start the days of Messiah. "He shall do what is right" includes an illegitimate pregnancy at the very beginning? The parthogenesis of Mary's son hung over his head like a mocking signboard. Of course, God works in mysterious ways. And his creativity often stirs up initial suffering in the lives of us simple folk. Not to mention lots of questions. Why would God isolate Mary and Joseph like this? Why would he allow Jesus to begin his life with the mark of illegitimacy? Not questions He has cared to answer, actually. In fact, God frames this event completely differently as he speaks through the prophet Isaiah, hundreds of years before Jesus is born: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." God has not been with us like this since Adam and Eve found their fig leaves and covered up their nakedness. God is going to grow up and walk with us, talk with us, touch and be touched by us. God is going to be with us, and we are going to be healed. Jesus is coming to earth. Solomon wrote, "God is in heaven and you are on earth" (Ecclesiastes 5:2). No longer. Jesus is coming. May the whole earth be filled with your glory, Jesus. "; Add      Edit    Delete