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THE NEW CENTER OF GRAVITY

 Luke 2:1-7

The promise has become a person. Prophecy has taken human form. The old pages are full of someone coming. In these newer leaves he has come, actually come. With all the humanness of a mother’s expectancy become a thrilling experience, of a father’s protecting care, of a babe’s wondrous face and presence, aye, of cramped quarters and a world busily, noisily hurrying by unnoticing, unappreciative, He has come who yet will be the world’s center of spirit gravity.

2 Corinthians 13:13 All the saints salute you.

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

GOD WILL DO IT

Isaiah 9:2-7

Every promise of God’s is a prophecy of what he means to do, and what he surely will do. Sin may delay but cannot prevent God’s plans working out. In one of the darkest hours of Israel’s story, and the world’s, there shines out boldly, clearly, in striking contrast with the gloom all around, this exquisite promise of what God meant to do for the world. So our dark hour shall know bright gleams of light if we’ll keep our face Godward.

NEEDS REPRINTING

 Genesis 50:1-13

The family is the controlling unit of life in the Orient. There the family tie is the strongest of all ties. Here in the Western Hemisphere individual initiative—everyone free to swing out for himself—is the controlling characteristic. Both Orient and Occident go to not-good extremes in this. A wholesome blend of both is the normal thing. We need to strengthen’ wholesomely our family loyalties. The Fifth Commandment needs reprinting with big type in American life.

Luke 1:26-28 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

BE CAREFUL OF THE SEED

 Genesis 46:28-34

Great things happen through simple circumstances. A simple thing this: a family migrating from one country to another, a very common thing. But what a great thing! Here come the “makings” of the nation through which came the world’s Saviour and future King. They’re coming to the land and the difficult experiences that will transform a tribe into the world’s most remarkable nation. And all because Joseph held true. Let’s hold true, regardless, yet lovingly.

Matthew 2:4-6   And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

THE HOME-FOLKS

 Genesis 45:16-28

Joseph looked after the home-folks. He did it thoughtfully and graciously. They must share the prosperity that had come to him. It’s one of the fine touches. It reveals his wholesome goodness. Prosperity is one of the acid tests of character. It is so often hard on the old home-ties. It loosens them. It’s bad when success dulls old home loyalty. The heart should be true to God and self and to one’s kin.

Galatians 4:4-5  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 

Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?

A FINE TEST

Genesis 47:1-12

It’s an ugly thing to see a young man, trained in the finer conventionalities, ashamed of the old-fashioned folks from the old country home. It’s a bad sign. There’s something wrong. Joseph’s kinsfolk were foreigners, their occupation utterly despised, their manner of life wholly strange to the Egyptians. It would have been easy for some to have been ashamed of them. But not this ruggedly true Joseph. Loving loyalty to father and mother is a fine test of character.