Daily Power #343

“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.” (Matt. 1:21)

Just as he provided the long-awaited Messiah, God also provided his name. He told Mary and Joseph to name the baby “Jesus” and went on to explain why he had chosen this name. As a derivative of the name “Joshua,” the name given to Mary’s baby wasn’t uncommon at that time, and it means “God rescues” or “God delivers.”

But I wonder if Mary and Joseph understood the full extent of what Jesus’ name means. Having the full story in God’s Word, we can see the big picture and how this name revealed his entire mission here on earth. Jesus came to save us and pay a debt we could not pay ourselves. Because the Jewish people were looking for an earthly king, many of them struggled to accept Jesus, the carpenter from Nazareth. With his ragtag group of former fishermen and tax collectors, he didn’t live up to their royal expectations. Even Jesus’ birth in a lowly cattle stall in Bethlehem didn’t make sense. Why would the King of the Jews be born in a smelly animal barn instead of a palace? It didn’t seem possible.

Today remember that we can’t always see all that God is up to from our vantage point. We have to trust him as he completes the epic design of his perfect will.

Power Lift

Like the shepherds on the hillside hearing the news of the newborn king, Lord, help me to trust you even when things don’t seem to make sense.