Man's History, God's Grace (Matthew chapter 38)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 12-27-2020

 

My Worship Time                                                                         Focus:  History & Grace

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Genesis 38 (All)

 

            Message of the verses:  As I read through this 38^th chapter of Genes I suppose that at times I wondered why it is there, for it seems to interrupt the story of Joseph, but in fact it probably goes along the same time line as when Joseph was in Egypt.  There are a couple of quotes from Dr. Wiersbe’s book that I want to include here later.

 

            This is just a thought of mine, but it could be possible that after the incident with Joseph that Judah became upset and just left home, however this was a dangerous thing for him to do because after all it was through his blood line that the messiah would come through. “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”  Genesis 49:10

 

            I want also to write about Judah’s two sons that the Scripture says were killed by God for being wicked.  The son was wicked, but there is no mention of what he did, while the second son would not produce a son for his brother, and thus was killed.

 

            The story of Judah and Tamar seems to be interesting because she was a very shrewd woman to get what she wanted from Judah; because Judah would not give her his third son for fear he would be killed too.  Judah went through the process of morning for two sons and though many times when reading the Scriptures one does not relate to the pain that these men and women have gone through, they were not supernatural people who did not have the same feelings that people of today have.

 

            God’s grace is seen throughout the history of the Old Testament.  “The story of the patriarchs in Genesis reminds us of the grace of God and His sovereignty in human life.  The men and women who played a part in this important drama weren’t perfect, and some of them were deliberately disobedient; and yet the Lord used them to accomplish His purposes.  This doesn’t mean that God approved of their sins, because their sins were ultimately revealed and judged.  But it does mean that God can take the weak things of this world and accomplish His purposes.”  1Cor. 1:26-31  “26  For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God.

30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

 

            One more quote, “God put a wall between the Jews and the Gentiles, not because the Jews were better than other nations, but because they were different, set apart for His divine purposes.  Once the Savior had come and died for the sins of the world, God made it clear that there is ‘not difference’ (Acts 10; Rom. 2:22-23; 10-12).

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There is a song that I enjoy listening to called “God’s Grace Still Amazes Me,”  and as I look at this chapter and the events of it, it makes me think of that song, for without the grace of God, that is Him giving me what I do not deserve or can ever earn, I would still be a lost sinner on my way to hell.  God’s grace is greater than all of my sin, yet that does not make me want to sin, in fact the opposite is true. 

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  I want to remember how amazing God’s grace is to me each and every day of my life here on this earth.