Week 49 Day 2
I. Prayer to enter the Lord’s presence:
Be still for a moment. “Lord, I give the day that is now past to you. It is yours. I give the day that is to come to you; help me to see where you are working and to join you there. Speak to me during these moments. I commit them and myself to you.”
II. Prayer of Confession:
“Lord, you are faithful to forgive me and cleanse me of my sin when I confess it to you. I confess my sin(s) of ______________. Thank you for forgiveness.” (1 John 1:9)
III. Prayer of Thanksgiving:
Choose to be thankful, speak out loud of what God has done.
“Thank you, Father, for _________________. Fill my heart and my mouth with gratitude throughout this day.”
IV. Scripture Reflection
Read
Matthew 1:18-23
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
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. 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.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him Immanuel” – which means God with us.
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Reflect
Jesus is fully God and fully man. He entered into our world through the virgin birth by Mary. As God, Jesus has always existed. In the virgin birth he came and lived fully as a man. How is this possible? As Isaiah said, the zeal of the Lord Almighty accomplished this. As the angel said to Mary and Joseph this is possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. If God created the world, the virgin birth could happen. If the bible is reliable the virgin birth did happen. What does it matter if the virgin birth happened? It means that God has made a way to save people from their sins. Jesus can be our savior. Jesus can also relate with us. He is fully the Holy God and fully a sinless human.
Respond
If you have accepted Christ, thank Jesus for being your savior. Worship God for His plan of redemption.
Jesus came a human. As you experience all the normal things of life today, eating, feeling tired, waiting in line… imagine Jesus experiencing these things. Imagine him experiencing them with you. As you are frustrated and annoyed, remember that Jesus knows what it feels like to be human. He took on our limited humanity and experienced all of life.
V. Prayer for others:
Pray specifically for the concerns of your life and the lives of others.
VI. Prayer of commitment:
“Lord God, I commit to love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself. Empower me today to love you and others with everything that I am.” (Luke 10:27)
This Month’s Scripture Memory:
Isaiah 53:4-6
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid him the iniquity of us all.