by Jonathan Krause
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Read Acts 27:9–26
I am no sailor.
I once got seasick on a houseboat on a lake while we were still attached to the wharf.
And I’ve never been on a cruise. Not only am I scared of going cabin-crazy from being confined, but I worry I will eat too much, exercise too little, and come home twice the man I was when I set sail.
So, I don’t know how I would go on a boat in a storm.
And if some smart fella stood up and told me to have courage, as Paul did in the Bible reading, I’m not sure I’d want to listen. Especially when he said in the next breath that we were going to be shipwrecked even if we did exactly as commanded!
What is courage anyway?
I’m not sure that it means you’re not scared. Your greatest courage is when you are scared – but you carry on anyway. (Those of us blessed to be Collingwood supporters know that feeling well – we are always scared we’ll lose, especially when it comes to finals, but we have the courage to keep hanging in there anyway!)
I don’t know what your life is like right now.
Maybe the cost-of-living crisis or high mortgage interest rates are causing you stress. Perhaps you’re worried about a loved one or have lost someone dear to you. Maybe the black dog of depression is barking at your ankles, or the chill of loneliness is wrapping icy fingers around your heart.
We shouldn’t be surprised. The storms will come. We may even run aground and suffer in ways that feel unfair or overwhelming.
That’s when we need the courage to hold on to our faith. Maybe it’s by our fingernails. Perhaps we feel too weary and worn to hold on a moment longer. That’s when we lift our eyes to Jesus, focus only on him, and – rather than holding on – let ourselves be held.
That takes true courage. I pray that for you.
Lord, you know me. You understand the life I lead, the challenges that confront me, the joys that delight. I know no life goes by without storms. Give me the courage to hold on to you. Amen.
Jonathan lives south of Adelaide with his wife Julie. Blessed by children and grandchildren, Jonathan enjoys reading and writing, walking by the beach and watching Collingwood win. Author of many devotion books, Jonathan is the Community Action Manager for the Australian Lutheran World Service (ALWS).
by Sal Huckel
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And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route (Matthew 2:12).
Read Matthew 2:1–12
As birth stories go, the story of the birth of Jesus (as told by Matthew) has less about Mary and Jesus and the familiar aspects of the Nativity and more about the other people involved in the fulfilment of Scripture.
Today, we read about Herod, the wise men and the prophecy that has Herod worried enough to seek out Jesus and kill him. Interestingly, the wise men were Gentiles, likely practising astrology and magic that did not honour the Lord. Nevertheless, they play a part in the fulfilment of Scripture, protecting Jesus from Herod’s plans.
While nothing in Herod’s words would have indicated to the wise men that he had very different plans for going to worship Jesus, they had no problem with being receptive to – and following – the instructions received in a dream to travel a different way.
It is sometimes comforting to think about how the Lord orders our steps – even the steps of others – to ‘work his purpose out’ in our lives. The wise men followed the instructions given to them in their dream, discerning that this was the necessary course of action, ignoring Herod. Through this obedience, Jesus was saved. We know this is not going to be the only brush with Herod’s plans for Jesus’ death. It is not the last time an angel of the Lord will intervene to save him – again, through human obedience to God’s will.
Sometimes, we may find that we have no idea about what God wants us to do – or not do. Particularly where our choices do not clash with Scripture, we can find we have an open choice that perhaps doesn’t matter one way or another. Yet, other times, we find that our instinct is not to listen to a certain person’s advice or take a certain path. However we end up making our decisions, we know that God has a plan and purpose for our lives, and nothing can snatch us out of his hand (John 10:28).
Lord, thank you for the lessons we learn in Scripture. We read of the faith of those who have gone before us and followed your commands. We learn how you include those who do not even know you in your plans. We learn about your faithfulness. May we be encouraged to trust you and not lean on our own understanding. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sal is married to Pastor Matthew Huckel, and they live in Victoria with their six children, enjoying their ministry with Moorabbin–Dandenong Lutheran Church. Their two eldest children are excited to study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels during term time in Sydney. Theology, music, philosophy, literature and history are passions the family shares and explores together. Sal loves writing, speaking and walking to the beach at every opportunity.
by Sal Huckel
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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’ (Matthew 1:20).
Read Matthew 1:18–25
Joseph’s obedience to the Lord in honouring his betrothal to Mary is the final piece of the puzzle that makes up Jesus’ earthly genealogy. It’s the action that causes Jesus to fulfil the prophecy in Scripture and brings Jesus’ birth into the line of David.
We read in Isaiah 7:14: ‘Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.’
Joseph did not question the instructions given to him by the angel of the Lord, despite the fact it goes against all natural laws we are aware of. It all does, really, doesn’t it?! Angel of the Lord – unusual. Virgin conception – impossible? Yet Joseph responds in faith to the message, and Scripture is fulfilled. We know this is not the only dream that Joseph has and acts on.
While we might think it was easy for Joseph, Mary and the Magi to heed the messengers sent to instruct or warn them about their next steps, we can hardly call it easy when we see what was expected of them or what they were required to believe. Yet, thanks to their faithfulness, the Scriptures were indeed fulfilled, and we have all that followed laid out for us in the New Testament.
If we believe that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected after three days, how is it any more difficult for us to believe the virgin birth even though we ‘only’ have it written down in Scripture?
Lord, you say that everything is possible for those who believe. I believe! Help me in my unbelief (Mark 9:24)! Thank you for the words of the Apostles’ Creed, which we declare together regularly for good reason. As I speak those words, please help me to continue to believe them, protect and grow my faith, trust in the Scriptures, and teach me to walk in your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sal is married to Pastor Matthew Huckel, and they live in Victoria with their six children, enjoying their ministry with Moorabbin–Dandenong Lutheran Church. Their two eldest children are excited to study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels during term time in Sydney. Theology, music, philosophy, literature and history are passions the family shares and explores together. Sal loves writing, speaking and walking to the beach at every opportunity.
by Sal Huckel
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This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
Read Matthew 1:1–17
Many Lutheran families have a family history book detailing the pioneers who came to Australia to avoid persecution and start their new lives in Australia. Not surprisingly, their families have been curious to research their heritage and keep records. Many are lucky enough to have a book to pull off the shelf thanks to their careful family historians. While I have very little family history of my own to read back on, I’ve had a go from time to time, too.
How many of us have paid that level of detail to the genealogy of Jesus? Perhaps the names and seemingly long lists of difficult-to-pronounce names put us off. We know a few of the main characters but will miss the details unless we read closely. There’s plenty of scandal in there. I’m not sure it’s a family history we would proudly pull out if we owned even a fraction of it ourselves.
However, it’s important to note Jesus’ lineage. We can find it also in Luke chapter 3. If we are studying the Bible daily, and this is the only reading we have for today, we might skip through this list and think, ‘Well, how’s God speaking to me through that? I’ll skip the history lesson and get to the message’. We need to dig deeper. We will realise how important the story of the prostitute Rahab is in Joshua 2:1–21 and how she turned out to be the mother of Boaz, who we then read about in the Book of Ruth. There will be much, much more to discover.
Perhaps our obsession with family history is worth it after all. If we look at the genealogy of Jesus, we will find how the ‘line of David’ actually played out until the time of Christ’s birth. We start to see how these obscure Old Testament accounts are relevant and can read them through a New Testament lens.
Lord, thank you for the privilege of the Scriptures, which are available to me to read daily and learn more about you, my faith heritage and those who you have called to be part of your story. I pray you will continue to teach me through your word, which does not return to you empty but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it (Isaiah 55:11). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sal is married to Pastor Matthew Huckel, and they live in Victoria with their six children, enjoying their ministry with Moorabbin–Dandenong Lutheran Church. Their two eldest children are excited to study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels during term time in Sydney. Theology, music, philosophy, literature and history are passions the family shares and explores together. Sal loves writing, speaking and walking to the beach at every opportunity.