This post is Day 24 in a series of studies about “Gifts & Giving”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

Gifts & Giving – Day 24

In the verses for today, we read first just a little of what the angel said to Joseph who was angry, frustrated, hurt and upset. Can you imagine his feelings when he discovered that the woman he loved was pregnant by somebody else. Let us look closer at these verses.

Matthew 1:21,24-25

She will give birth to a son and you are to give Him the name Jesus.

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

The Thought

Let us look back at that very first Christmas.

In the verses for today, we read first just a little of what the angel said to Joseph who was angry, frustrated, hurt and upset. Can you imagine his feelings when he discovered that the woman he loved was pregnant by somebody else.

But that doesn’t really fit in to the theme of gifts and giving, so let’s look a little further into these verses.

First, I see that the angel came to give re-assurance. I’m sure there have been times in your life when you have needed reassurance and it has come from somewhere unexpected. There are many times in all our lives when we need someone to come and show us a different view to our own.

The second gift was that Joseph gave the baby the name Jesus; the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua which means “the Lord saves”. It was the name chosen by His Heavenly Father at the beginning of time, and it describes who He was. Who He still is!

Action

When we understand more about the power of words, we can reflect on the meaning of our names. Imagine for example the name Sarah which means princess. Each time someone calls her, they instill in her spirit that she is a princess.

Realise today that each time we use the name “Jesus” we are declaring that The Lord saves.

Read and learn Proverbs 18:21 Life and death is in the power of the tongue…