Burunche’s Blog

Matthew 4:18 “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20And at once they left their nets and followed Him.

21Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.”

The first four disciples were fishermen, hard – working, down to earth men who would not be easily swayed. And yet, when Jesus called, they left everything, got up, and followed Him.

THEY CAST THEIR NETS IN GALILEE – FROM ELECTRONIC HYMN BOOK

“They cast their nets in Galilee, just off the hills of brown, such happy simple fisherfolk, before the Lord came down.

Contented, peaceful fishermen, before they ever knew the peace of God that filled their hearts brimful, and broke them too.

Young John who trimmed the flapping sail homeless in Patmos died. Peter, who hauled the teeming net, head – down was crucified.

The peace of God, it is no peace but strife closed in the sod. Yet let us pray for but one thing, the marvelous peace of God.”

Sometimes we think that the call of God is going to come with beautiful music and sunshine and butterflies flitting all around with flowers blooming and everything lovely and safe. Most of the time, the call of God comes as a shock, a surprise, and sometimes as something terribly difficult. Many of us want to echo Tevya the Milkman in “Fiddler on the Roof” when he says, “Lord, I know we are your chosen people, but couldn’t you choose someone else for a change?” Recently Christians in Burkina Faso and Northern Nigeria went to church and died for their faith at the hands of Boko Haram terrorists. Chinese Christians are memorizing the Word because their Bibles and churches are being destroyed. Why should God shield us when our brothers and sisters are suffering and dying for their faith?

1 Peter 2:21 “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: 22“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” 23When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats,  but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. 24He Himself bore our sinsh in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”

25For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

We become hurt and frustrated when we are misunderstood, not realizing that others are suffering far worse torments. If we are to follow Jesus, we must realize that those footprints are bloody. Will we still follow?

PRAYER: Father God, today our hearts are aching! We have tried to follow you and have been criticized and misunderstood. But Jesus, you went to the cross for us. Help us to follow hard after you all the days of our lives. In Your mighty and precious Name. Amen.

Matthew 4:12-13 “Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested and put in prison, He withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the country of Zebulun and Naphtali-”

There was a rhythm and balance in Jesus’ life that is frequently lacking in our lives. John baptizes Jesus, anointing Him for ministry with the Holy Spirit descending. Jesus withdraws into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After overcoming the temptations that struck at the foundation of his ministry, Jesus is ready to move forward. According to the account in John 3:26 – 30, Jesus and His disciples also have begun baptizing at the Jordan. When John’s disciples come to him in consternation about Jesus’ infringing on John’s ministry, John clearly tells them, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the groomsman who stands by and listens to him rejoices greatly on account of the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my pleasure and joy, and it is now complete.”

And it is at this point that John the Baptist is put into prison by Herod the governor, the son of Herod, the King of Judea. Herod wanted to marry his sister – in – law and John told him it was wrong, so Herod threw John in jail. (Later Herod would have John beheaded at his sister – in – law’s request.)

Why was it necessary for John the Baptist to be put in prison? John himself had told his followers “I baptize you with water; but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of Whose sandals I am not fit to unfasten. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” In another place, John also told his disciples, regarding Jesus, “I must decrease, but He must increase.”  John 3:30 John had played his part, calling people to repent. But now Jesus was bringing a new message: “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 From this point forward, Jesus begins announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God and the need for preparing hearts.

Sometimes we balk at the way things move in our lives. We are frustrated because things are either going too slowly or too rapidly. And if something happens that seems to frustrate us or to keep us from moving forward and progressing as we think we should, we gripe and complain. Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins and very close in age. It’s likely that the two men had grown up together. But John had a clear sense of the limits of his ministry. Once John saw that dove descending on Jesus when John baptized Him, John knew that his (John’s) time of ministry was nearly over. So why did John have to be thrown into prison?

In this case, the problem might not have been John at all, but John’s disciples. Andrew was one of John’s disciples who went out and brought his brother Peter to Jesus. If John had still been available, would Andrew have introduced Peter to Jesus? And there were undoubtedly many others of John’s disciples who reluctantly transferred their loyalties to Jesus,  once John was no longer accessible to be followed.

Today, ask yourself if you have been fretting because something in your life has not been moving the way you wanted it to or on a particular schedule. And then give your worries to God. Relax. In His perfect timing, things will come about.

PRAYER: Father, today we wonder about what will happen and we worry that things aren’t going to happen quickly enough. But You are the God of time, and our times are in Your hands. Give us peace in our hearts so that we will be able to rest in you and trust that you really will “make all things beautiful in Your time.” In Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen.

Matthew 4: 8 “Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and shoed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory (the splendor, magnificence, preeminence, and excellence) of them. 9 And he said to Him, These things, all taken together, I will give You, if You will prostrate Yourself before me and do homage and worship me. 10 Then Jesus said to him, Begone, Satan! For it has been written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve. (Deut. 6:13) 11 Then the devil departed from Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.”

What would you do if somebody offered you unlimited power, as long as you were willing to worship him? Would you refuse quickly, realizing that you weren’t cut out for that kind of control? Or perhaps you might entertain second thoughts; after all, think of all the good you could do! All those things and more must have gone through Jesus’ mind as Satan tempted Him. And it was a real temptation; the day Adam and Eve sinned, Satan gained control of the earth. But once more, the fundamental part of this temptation was to entice Jesus to take a short cut and to avoid suffering. Satan might have told Jesus, “Look, be reasonable! Why should you go through all this pain when you can have all power, just as long as you worship me.” Notice this time, Satan does not try to twist Scripture as he did during the first two temptations; he already realized that gambit wouldn’t work.

But Jesus was the Son of God, and before He was born, Jesus was in the heaven from which Satan had fallen so many ages ago. Jesus knew that what Satan was offering was a fake, a cheat, a sham, and would lead only to spiritual death. Why should Jesus trade His place in heaven for control of one small planet? Again, Jesus answers Satan by accurately quoting the Scriptures, affirming that only God is to be worshipped.

Revelations 19 gives us a picture of Jesus in triumph. ¹¹ Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He ^[e]had a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in ^[f]fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a ^[g]sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Make no mistake, there IS a real “Game of Thrones.” And the contest is not merely for land or for power, but for the souls of men and the Kingdom of God. Today, each of us must make the same choice that Jesus faced: are we worshiping Satan or the one true living God? Make no mistake, each time you choose to serve only yourself, you are choosing to serve Satan. The time of the Lord’s returning is drawing near. None of us knows how much time is left to us. Joshua challenged his people “Choose this day whom you will serve….but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24: 15) At the end of the ages, there will only be one Victor, the God – man Jesus. Choose Him today!

PRAYER: Father God, sometimes we are confused and tired and make wrong choices. But You are the one true living God. You are Elehenu Melech Ha Olam – the Lord God, Ruler of the Universe. Come reign in our hearts forever! Amen.

Matthew 5: 5 “Then the devil took Him into the holy city and placed Him on a turret of the temple. 6 And he said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, He will give His angels charge over you, and they will bear you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91: 11 – 12) 7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written also, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” (Deuteronomy 6:15)

Yesterday we spoke about how Satan thought he was tempting Jesus while all the time God was using Satan to emphasize to Jesus how His ministry would have to function. The first challenge tested Jesus’ knowledge of Himself as the Son of God. Satan tempted Jesus to act as His own amateur providence and prove that He could do miracles. And Jesus refused, stating that He had to live by every word that came from the mouth of God. Not only did Jesus refuse to turn stones into bread, but He also refused to settle for a half – truth misquote of Scripture. Jesus had to listen to His heavenly Father and follow His leading. And now came the second test.

This time Satan placed the God – man Jesus in a very dangerous position and then urged Him to test God’s protection and see if God would send angels to rescue Him. In effect, Satan was tempting Jesus to prove whether or not God the Father was really a good parent who cared for His child. Was this a foreshadowing of Jesus’ eventual death on a Roman cross? Did Satan really know how Jesus would die, or was he merely guessing? At any rate, Satan was hoping that Jesus would go for the cheap thrill of angelic rescue, reducing His ministry in the process. But again, Jesus answered Satan scripture for scripture, refusing to force God. But what about us? Many times, we do try to force God. We find a scripture and quote it at God, practically shaking it in His face, as though God was reluctant to act and we had to manipulate Him to care for us.  

Many of us make willful foolish mistakes and then blame God if He doesn’t immediately deliver us. And sometimes we don’t recognize divine intervention when it comes because we are trying to dictate the fashion in which God should rescue us. The story is told of a man in a town by a river that was flooding. The local fire department and police went through town, urging everyone to evacuate while they could. But this one man refused, stating that God would take care of him. Everybody else in town left and the river rose. The water came up to the second story of the man’s house, and some friends came by in a boat, begging him to get into the boat. Again, the man refused, insisting that God would take care of him. Finally, when the man was sitting on the roof of the house with nowhere else to go, a rescue team came with a helicopter and offered to pick him off the roof. But the man again refused, and he eventually drowned. When the man reached heaven, he berated the Lord. “God,” he said, “I thought you would take care of me.” “I did,” replied the Lord. “I sent you the emergency services, a boat and a helicopter. What more did you want?”

So, what can we do when we have gotten ourselves into trouble and need deliverance? First of all, stop doing whatever got you into trouble in the first place. The first rule of holes is that when you find yourself inside one, STOP DIGGING! Next, pray and acknowledge to God that you have made a terrible mistake and that you need help. The prophet Jonah learned this lesson in the belly of the whale, confessing his sins at a time when he had no hope of rescue. Third, having confessed your sins, ask God for help. Satan quoted Psalm 91 to Jesus. The scripture was correct; it was the way in which Satan twisted it that was wrong. And finally, trust that God will help you; but also realize that God may act in a fashion other than the one that you expect. Don’t be like the foolish man in the story who refused God’s help because God didn’t behave the way the man wanted Him to.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you DO care for us. Help us to learn the difference between testing you and trusting you. And thank you, that you are always trustworthy. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 3:16 “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

“That’s my boy! Look at that kid run! What a ball player!” “That’s my girl! She’s an amazing gymnast! She stuck that landing!” When we watch our kids and they perform well, we want to make sure everybody knows that we are the parents of that star. Our kids have given us something to brag about, and we are thrilled.

Jesus was the Son of God and yet, throughout most of Jesus’ life, God the Father didn’t say much publicly. But here at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, God allowed Himself a moment of pride and love. The Holy Spirit descended like a dove and alighted on Jesus and God spoke from heaven. What an incredible demonstration of love and approval!

Several years ago, Max Lucado wrote a book entitled “The Applause of Heaven,” in which he spoke about God watching and encouraging us as would a wise and loving parent. God continually watches us in love, longing for us to get quiet so that He can speak to us. And in the silence, if you listen closely, you will hear your heavenly Father whisper, “I love you.” But you must spend time being quiet with and before God to hear His voice.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us even though we are unlovable and unlovely! Thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins, so that we might truly become your children. We bless you and praise your name, now and forever. Amen.

Matthew 3:11 ”I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.”

It had all started so slowly. One afternoon, John chatted with a few shepherds who were watering their flocks in a quiet pool at the edge of the Jordan River. He was completely shocked when he suggested baptism and the shepherds agreed. The next morning, more shepherds turned up, and they brought their friends from nearby towns with them to hear John preach. And when John finished preaching, he realized that his audience had tears streaming down their faces and they were all moving forward toward the river. What was he to do? The Holy Spirit said, “Baptize,” so he baptized. Day by day, the crowds grew larger and larger. Even religious leaders began coming to hear John. At first Pharisees came because they wanted to check John out to make sure that his message was really orthodox; after all, he had not studied under any of them! And John spoke harshly to them, demanding to know why they had bothered when they were obviously not sincere. Calling one’s hearers “a brood of vipers” is scarcely diplomatic; yet, John was stunned to realize that many of the religious leaders also were repenting and coming for baptism.  

That particular day, the Holy Spirit was moving and John was preaching and baptizing. By mid – morning John had already baptized shepherds and rabbis and Roman soldiers and even tax collectors! John remained amazed at the people God was drawing to this out of the way place on the river bank. John was still standing waist – deep in the water when he looked up to see his cousin Jesus coming down the bank toward him. And suddenly, John remembered everything that he had been told about Jesus. Looking into Jesus’ eyes, John KNEW by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was truly the Messiah whose coming John had been announcing. Overcome with emotion and a sense of the Holy, John wanted to throw himself prostrate on the ground before Jesus in worship. Never before had John had such a clear sense of his own unworthiness. “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” John asked. But Jesus reached out His hand to John and answered, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” In this baptism, both John and Jesus were being obedient. John was carrying out his assignment from God despite feeling totally inadequate. And Jesus? Before Jesus could begin His ministry as Messiah, He had to undergo baptism at the hands of John. By this act, Jesus was demonstrating His humanity, but more than that, Jesus was submitting Himself as an act of humility and obedience to His heavenly Father. Had Jesus refused to undergo baptism, submitting Himself in this fashion, His ministry would have been a failure, even though He was the Son of God.

True ministry must be based on humility and obedience. No matter what God has called you to do, the day you act in pride is the day you fall short of the high calling of God.  Which of us has not come to a point in our work where we suddenly realized how little we knew about our work or the people around us and how much more there was to learn? Only when we are guided by the Holy Spirit can we truly discern what it is God wants us to do. And only when we become quiet enough to listen will we be able to hear the Spirit’s urgings.

PRAYER: Father God, today we ask you to help us submit to Your will and to Your leading. Help us to be quiet enough to hear your Holy Spirit. And help us to realize that it is only with and through you that we will succeed in Your plans for our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 3: 1 “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.’ ”

4Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

Up until the age of 30, Jesus seems to have lived the quiet life of a village teknikon, a builder, carpenter, stone mason. And then, suddenly, everything changed. It began with Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist, who had been filled with the Holy Spirit when Mary visited his mother Elizabeth. When John reached manhood, he evidently retired to the wilderness of Judea, a 20 – mile stretch of rocky desert between Jerusalem and the Jordan River. John lived very simply on a diet of wild honey and carob, the pods from a type of locust tree, not on insects. Even today in Israel, carob pods are referred to as “St. John’s Bread.” John wore the clothing of the very poor – garments woven from camel’s hair. And since John was only a few months older than Jesus, John also must have been about 30. Evidently, John was an observant Jew and given to prayer and meditation. Two quiet men living quiet lives in obscure places. And then the Word of the Lord came, and neither of them would ever be the same again.

Suddenly, John turns up, preaching in the Judean wilderness. In the beginning, John’s only audience must have been a few shepherds with their sheep and their goats. Perhaps some travelers came by and stopped to listen as well. But somehow, the word got out and people began to flock to the banks of the Jordan River to hear John’s message and to be baptized. Back in Nazareth, Jesus heard of John’s ministry and recognized God’s signal and God’s perfect timing. Why did John begin preaching when he did and what made Jesus come to him at that particular time? For the answer, read Acts 2:1 “And when the day of Pentecost had fully come….” The Bible speaks of the “fullness of time” in many places, and for John and Jesus, the fullness of time had come. John was the chosen messenger to announce the coming of the Messiah, and Jesus was that Messiah. And now was the time for both of their ministries.

Growing up on a Midwestern farm, I learned early on that everything had its season. Spring brought new growth. Summer brought lush produce. Fall was harvest time. And winter was the season of rest and of preparation for spring. Each season had its own duties, none of which could be skipped if farming was to go on successfully. Throughout the world, farmers must observe times and seasons. But these days, so many people live existences that are divorced from nature that it is easy to forget that there are still such things as natural rhythms that must and should be observed.

Here in Ghana, lorries and buses have slogans painted on them. One of the most common slogans is the phrase “God’s time is the best.” And that phrase turns up on Facebook memes regularly as well. But it is true that God’s timing IS perfect. And if we do not stop and listen to God, we will either run ahead of Him or lag behind. How did John know that it was time to begin preaching? It’s possible that one day, John was sitting on the bank of the Jordan River when a shepherd brought his flock down to drink. And suddenly John found himself telling the shepherd what God had been showing him: the Messiah was coming soon and people needed to prepare their hearts. And as the word spread, John’s audience grew. And Jesus, knowing that he was to be the Messiah, was well aware of the prophecies about a messenger who would begin proclaiming his coming. And so, when Jesus heard the news about John, he knew that it was time to leave Nazareth and go down to the Jordan.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, help us to get quiet enough that we can hear your Holy Spirit. Help us to realize that your timing is perfect and that we should listen for your still small voice so that your timing will be ours as well. Thank you that you love each one of us and want to guide us. In the matchless name of Jesus. Amen. 

Luke 2:41 “His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

49And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.”

After detailed accounts about Jesus’ birth, we hear practically nothing about his growing up. Although there were many fables generated about the child Jesus, the early church discarded them in favor of this single story about Jesus in the temple with the religious teachers. Why? First, Luke makes it clear that Jesus’ family faithfully followed the commandments of Moses. This was an observant family who took time to regularly celebrate – Passover and travel to Jerusalem from Nazareth walking over rocky roads. Jesus was twelve years old and in his final year of preparation to take his place in Jewish society as a man. Once Jesus became bar mitzvah, a “son of the commandment,” he had the right to fully take part in all Jewish religious ceremonies, including the minyan or daily prayer meeting.

Luke always did his homework and got his information as accurately as possible. Joseph and Mary obviously trusted Jesus and didn’t realize he had stayed behind until they had gone a day’s journey. And when they returned to Jerusalem, it took three days to find Jesus. It’s likely that Jesus’ parents assumed he was hanging out with one or another set of the relatives, perhaps at Elizabeth and Zechariah’s place with his cousin John. The last thing anyone expected was that Jesus would be sitting on the temple steps where the rabbis sat with their students, taking part in heavy religious dialogue. 

Did the boy Jesus know that he was special? The question Jesus asked his parents suggests that somehow yes, Jesus knew that he had been set apart and that he had to be about his heavenly Father’s business, even as a twelve year – old.

Don’t underestimate the faith of a child! I began reading the Bible through every year when I was nine years old. When I was eleven years old, I read a biography of Dr. Ida Scudder, the lady missionary doctor who founded the Christian Medical College in Vellore, India. That night, God called me in a dream and told me He wanted me to be a missionary. When I informed my parents, I doubt that they took me seriously. When I had a salvation experience at the age of fifteen, my family didn’t know what to think. But that calling was real. That salvation experience was real. It’s sad that there was no such program as AWANA available; I would have loved it. (A Workman And Not Ashamed – a Christian discipleship program for kids.)

In the 6^th chapter of Deuteronomy, God orders us,” ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.“ For a child to know what is true, right, just, good, lovely, and of good report, you must spend time with them and model devotion to God’s Word.  Today, ask yourself, “What are my priorities?” Teach your children! Pray for your children! And give your children your most precious gift – your time.

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, today we feel overwhelmed by all our responsibilities. Our kids are growing up so fast and there are so many things that are pulling us apart. Lord, bring us together in You. Let us all find our rest and our peace in You. In the precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 2: 40 “And the Child grew and became strong ^[k]in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” Matthew 7: 1-5 “Judge^[a] not, that you be not judged. ² For with what ^[b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

An ordinary life in a small Galilean town with a father who was a tekton. When we visited Israel in 2016, we learned that that term could apply to stone masons as well as to carpenters and it was quite probable that Joseph might have worked in both wood and stone. Even in Jesus’ day, there weren’t very many trees in Israel apart from olive trees, while there was lots of stone. And meanwhile, the Romans were building Sepphoris, a new large and beautiful city about four miles from Nazareth. At that time, Nazareth was a very small village, so it’s likely that both Joseph and Jesus worked on construction in Sepphoris. And those experiences undoubtedly helped shape some of the stories that Jesus later told.

Jesus spoke a lot about rocks – about a wise man who built his house on a rock while a foolish man built his house on sand. (Did somebody build a house in a stream bed that only flooded once a year?) Jesus teased Peter about his original name, Simon, which refers to a small stone, and re – named him Peter, which refers to a large rock on which a building could be built.  Jesus’ experiences in working in wood led him to compare someone who was very critical to a man trying to remove a tiny splinter from his friend’s eye while he himself was blinded by a beam that had struck his own eye. This story might have referred to a real incident with which Jesus’ audience would be familiar. You can practically see some guy in the back of the crowd elbowing his friend and saying, “Hah! I knew sooner or later that crazy incident would catch up with Joel! Bet he’ll watch where he’s going in the future!”

So many times we worry that what we are doing is not good enough or that our work is not significant. But if we are doing what God has called us to do, there is no such thing as an insignificant job. No matter what we are doing, we are surrounded by people who need encouragement, people who depend on our fulfilling our tasks gracefully and enthusiastically. One of the things I appreciate about my husband is that he goes out of his way to complement cleaners in public restrooms. And if Bob gets good service from a waiter or waitress, he complements them in front of their manager. And he’s right! If not for those who clean, our work places and public places would be filthy. And waiting tables well is really a gift. Today, think about someone who is doing a small job well and then thank that person. You will make their day!

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that Jesus left us an example of faithfulness in his work. Thank you that there is no legitimate work that you have not blessed. Today, help us to be faithful and to fulfill your perfect will for our lives. In Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen.

Matthew 2:19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20“Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”

21So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Shortly after ordering the slaughter of all the baby boys two years old and under in Bethlehem, Herod died. By this time, Joseph and Mary were in Egypt. And now for the last time that we know about, Joseph has another angelic visitation in a dream. Herod is dead, and it is safe to return to Israel. But Herod’s son Archelaus was little better than his father, so the angel warns Joseph to stay away from Judea and instead to go to Galilee. In those days, Galilee was a backwater, and Nazareth was considered a “trashy” town. Ghanaians would say that Nazarenes were “ignorant people from the bush.” But there were big advantages to such a location.

Nobody in his right mind would consider that any kind of a king could come from Galilee or particularly from Nazareth. In John 1:46, when Philip is trying to convince Nathaniel to come meet Jesus, Nathaniel scathingly remarks “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip replies, “Come and see.” Later on, when Nicodemus was defending Jesus to his fellow Pharisees, they mocked him and told him, “Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” Actually, these religious snobs were quite wrong! Micah, Elijah, Jonah, and possibly Nahum and Hosea were all from Galilee. This general disdain for Galilee and its inhabitants served to protect Jesus as He was growing up and maturing. And the experiences that Jesus had during those years would later become the raw material for the parables He told so vividly.

Perhaps today God has placed you in an obscure location. Don’t feel alone! Many of us work in small out of the way places; yet, each one of us has the opportunity to serve faithfully wherever we are. All of us are familiar with the stories of those who began in small places and who fell from great heights once they reached fame and fortune. Proverbs 30: 7 – 9 says “Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): ⁸ Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; ⁹ Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” 

PRAYER: Father God, today some of us are ashamed. We feel that we are not progressing or keeping up with others who began before us and are now wildly successful. But Father, you have called each of us to a specific task in a specific place. Help us to realize that if we are faithful to your calling, that is Your measure of success. Thank you that you continue to love us and care for us, that you will never leave us or forsake us, and that you are calling us to a bright future. In the matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.