“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.” Matthew 1:21
You are probably wondering why this Advent verse today. It is really important to us to ponder this verse during Lent. When the Angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph through a dream, telling him about the event that was going to dramatically change his life and also forever impact the residents of this planet; what must he thought? His son Jesus will save God’s people from their sins.
Being saved, how important is that really? I am sitting here today in a climate-controlled room with my fingers tapping on a laptop, not thinking too much about being saved. At this present moment, even with the chaos in this world taking place, I feel physically safe. But as I look at the word ‘salvation’, it is very clear that my sinful nature which has been with me from the beginning caused me to need a savior to rescue me.
The child in the attached photo attends the Lutheran school in Bois Marchand and he would tell you how important this verse in Matthew means to him. “Se li menm ki pral delivre pèp li a anba peche l' yo” brings a smile to his face because he knows that Jesus will save his people from their sins. Christ saves His people "from their sins." Not the vodou priest who practices just down the road from his school; he only adds to the sins of this fallen world.
Thank you for blessing this child and his school in Bois Marchand with a meal every day and for helping to prepare him to go and share the Gospel message with those still living in fear and unaware that they have a Savior. I close with the first two verses of the hymn ‘I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus’ that was written by Frances Havergal in 1874.
“I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, trusting only Thee; trusting Thee for full salvation, great and free. I am trusting Thee for pardon; at Thy feet I bow, for Thy grace and tender mercy, trusting now.”
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay