“Mental and emotional work without physical exertion is not healthy, and the opposite is true.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today –April 24, 2023
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel commanded and brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her Son was born, and Joseph named him “Jesus.” Matthew 1:24-25, TLB
Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus, was a man of principle, a just man. So, his ethics caused him to lay awake perplexed, wondering what he was supposed to do next. He totally trusted Mary, his wife…but how could it be that she was pregnant? Holy Spirit conceived as she had explained to him…really? So fantastic, could the truth seem more like fiction? As he pondered and prayed, slumbering in thought, his eyelids grew heavy and closed. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and corroborated his bride-to-be’s story. Yes, she conceived by the Holy Spirit. Yes, she will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus. Yes, He will save the people from their sins. Yes, this will fulfill God’s message through the prophets. So, Joseph obeyed, invited Mary into his home, and when his son was born, he named Him Jesus. He obeyed God’s way.
By naming his son Jesus, Joseph surely solicited safety and peace in his mind and heart, knowing He would give life and forgive. Spurgeon celebrates how fear flees hearing the loving chorus, Jesus. “The name of Jesus was sweet at the first because of the words with which it was accompanied, for they were meant to remove perplexity from Joseph’s mind, and some of them ran thus—’Fear not.’ Truly, no name can banish fear like the name of Jesus. It is the beginning of hope and the end of despair. Let, but the sinner hears of “the Savior,” and he forgets to die, he hopes to live, he rises out of the deadly lethargy of his hopelessness and looking up-ward, he sees a reconciled God and no longer fears. Especially, brethren, this name is full of rare delights when we meditate upon the infinite preciousness of the person to whom it was assigned.” Love obeys.
“As he lay awake considering this, he fell into a dream and saw an angel standing beside him. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “don’t hesitate to take Mary as your wife! For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a Son, and you shall name him Jesus (meaning ‘Savior’), for he will save his people from their sins. This will fulfill God’s message through his prophets” (Matthew 1:20-21, TLB).
Not all opportunities to obey are equally as easy to obey, and all may not carry the same weight of importance. When I miss an exercise appointment because I chose to double book a work assignment during the same time slot, then I have allowed an urgent, less important matter to be prioritized over an opportunity that will give me the physical stamina, mental clarity, and emotional health to create better work outcomes. Like Joseph, when I take the time to slow down and reflect on the Lord’s heart…He brings clarity to the priority needing the most attention. Others may not understand, but they are able to accommodate when they know what’s at stake. Mental and emotional work without physical exertion is not healthy, and the opposite is true. When I resist the temptation to compromise, and when I am courageously consistent, I win.
Where is the Lord leading you to obey? You may find yourself somewhat perplexed, but you deeply desire God’s way…so perhaps you reinstate a process of prayer and follow-through that facilitates staying on the path of obedience. Invite another skilled person to help you protect time with the Lord, time to care for yourself, and time with those who love you. Obedience to God’s ways is best followed with a predetermined schedule and pre-decided choices. Yes, you adjust along the way, but only as you remain along the path of God’s way. Love finds a way to obey.
“And when we obey him, every path he guides us on is fragrant with his loving-kindness and his truth” (Psalm 25:10, TLB).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, lead me in a process that protects me from myself and propels me forward on your path of obedience through Christ’s love, and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
How can you better organize your calendar to include blocks of quantity time for the priorities of spiritual, physical, relational, and emotional health?
Related Reading
Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 11:1; John 15:9; 2 Corinthians 10:5
Worship Resource
Byran & Katie Torwalt: Be Unto Me
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