Fourth Wednesday of Advent
Scripture Reading for Today:
Genesis 37:2-11
2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. 5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
1 Samuel 2:1-10
Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. 2 “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 3 “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. 4 “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. 5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away. 6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. 7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world. 9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails; 10 those who oppose the Lord will be broken. The Most High will thunder from heaven; the Lord will judge the ends of the earth. “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
Matthew 1:1-17
This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. 17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.
Getting Comfortable with Uncomfortability
by Sonia Reid Noble
A pastor’s daughter with a story to tell, Sonia Reid Noble started singing and playing piano at the age of eight in church. Her talent and dedication led her to earn a Bachelor of Arts in music at Redeemer University College and to work professionally across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. Sonia’s performances are energetic, soulful, and passionate. The last 30 years have been spent focusing on performing and providing quality vocal coaching to hobbyists, pre-professional and professional vocalists. You can find Sonia Reid Studios on most social media platforms and her website www.soniareidstudios.com
Growing up, I had all kinds of expectations about what my life would look like at certain ages and stages. I remember going to university to major in psychology and minor in music. As time went on in my studies, it became evident that my real love was music, and I graduated with a music major and a psychology minor. Not exactly what I had planned for. It drastically changed my career plans and took me on some very unexpected and unanticipated adventures. I wanted to be married and have kids by a certain age. Well… It did happen eventually, but not when I thought it would. This year has brought me many new questions and some uncertainty.
Life can be a mystery, and we may even feel like we won’t get to our desired outcome with all of the additional pit stops and delays. We see desires and dreams in the stories of both Hannah and Joseph. When we read through Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel chapter 1, we read about her desire to have children with her husband, Elkanah, and her struggle with infertility year after year. Joseph is busy taking care of his brothers and tending to the sheep. He shares his dreams with his family and is met with exasperation and even anger. The Bible notes that Joseph’s father wondered what meaning the dreams might have.
I have always seen Hannah and Joseph as the victors they are, but have I fully acknowledged the uncertainty they had to live with before arriving at their destiny? Hannah spent years worshipping God and praying for the blessing of children. She also spent years being ill-treated, taunted, feeling rejected, and crying before she saw the evidence of her answered prayer. Joseph was kidnapped, sold into slavery, betrayed, jailed, and even forgotten about, all of this before he saw the fruition of the dreams that God had given him.
Day after day, hoping and trusting God for the answer. Waking up wondering: will it be today? I have this dream, this desire, and this promise that I am holding onto, but when will it happen? Many days come with delays and heartbreak. My friend, God is working it all out for your good.
In this season of Advent, I am reminded that Mary and Joseph would have felt uncertainty as her pregnancy progressed. Perhaps the people in their lives thought there was a mystery to solve. Day after day, feeling this baby grow inside of her, she likely faced shame from her community, BUT she knew what the angel had spoken to her. The only way to get to the promise was to go through this uncertainty.
You are not alone; He is right there with you in the uncertainty, guiding you through His plan for you. Think of Hannah, daily enduring the taunts of Peninnah, asking God, “When will it be my turn?” She goes to the Tabernacle and vulnerably lays out the desires of her heart again before the Lord, but this time is different, and the priest says, “Go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
The Bible tells us she goes home, is soon pregnant, and gives birth to her son Samuel (and subsequently four more children). Her prayer in today’s text shows us that she sees how God uses the ups and downs of life to complete His purpose in us.
Joseph, too, had a very long journey before he saw the fulfillment of the dreams God had given him. The heartbreak of his brothers kidnapping and selling him is just the beginning. And with all the success he had in Potiphar’s kingdom, he had yet another downturn when a lie landed him in jail for years. He continued to serve while he waited, and one day God brought him back into a good relationship with Potiphar and freed him from his jail cell. Seasons of waiting in life can feel like waves tossing us around. The joys and the sorrows, the beautiful blessings and the difficulties.
I love these lyrics from Oceans by Hillsong United
“And I will call upon Your Name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine”
We can see that Hannah’s answered prayers and promises to God resulted in Samuel becoming a judge and a prophet who anointed the first king of Israel.
Joseph lived to see his dreams fulfilled and was used to help feed nations during years of famine. God’s promises are sure, my friend. Even though there may be a lot of unanswered questions right now. He is right there with you! Your destiny hasn’t been averted; your story is here to help others and accomplish all that God has designed for it to do. Your purpose is being fulfilled even in the uncertain times we face.
I think that Joseph summed it up well in Genesis 50:20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
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