The character of Joseph

Having set the genealogy of Jesus, Matthew goes onto speak about his conception and birth. For the circumstances of the pregnancy and birth of this child were most unusual and miraculous:

Matthew 1:18–25 (ESV):

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 

 23  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, 

and they shall call his name Immanuel” 

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. 

This passage of Scripture shows a humble and righteous man in Joseph. He had probably waited for quite some time before getting to officially marry Mary, the betrothal process taking up to 2 years. In Israel at this time betrothal was a long period to allow for negotiations about bride price and arrangements for the marriage to be made. It was not a private agreement between two people either, families and the wider community would be aware when a man and woman were joined together in this way. During betrothal the couple were considered legally bound to one another already, it is much more than what we may understand an engagement to be. Betrothal is an official agreement, already binding two people together that can only be broken through divorce. It is a serious commitment, and this is what Joseph and Mary had entered into. This makes the circumstances of Mary becoming pregnant so serious and devastating for them both.

During this process of betrothal Joseph finds that his promised wife is pregnant. Not only that, but she has a most unusual story as to how! No wonder he initially thought about divorcing her, she not only has been unfaithful, but is lying about it. However, Joseph did not act rashly, he considered what to do. He clearly loved Mary as he was ‘unwilling to put her to shame’, he knew what treatment would befall her as an unmarried mother. Joseph, simply referred to as a ‘just man’ acted in a respectful and honourable manner towards Mary when he did not need to. Society would likely have responded in a very different way. If she wasn’t stoned to death, Mary would at least have been ostracised. Joseph did not want that for her. Instead, he chose to love her even in the way he ‘resolved’ what action to take. He could have humiliated and shamed Mary in front of her family and the whole community, yet he honours her instead. Even though Joseph must have been heartbroken; the promise of a wife, the awaited union, the hope of family to come, all shattered as he finds out his betrothed is pregnant and he had nothing to do with it. Yet Joseph did not act out of anger or fear, or even in concern for his reputation. Instead he considered and determined his course of action. This shows he was an honourable and considerate man, sensible, not prone to anger, and he didn’t just go along with cultural norms. Joseph desired to do the right thing by himself, Mary, and his community. Even before the angel appeared to him, we can see Joseph is a kind, generous and considered man who is slow to anger. He would make a good husband and father with those qualities, no wonder God chose him.

Then, the angel comes. The circumstances of the pregnancy are revealed, and Joseph, despite his own reservations, concerns and the likely whisperings of society, is obedient to God. He did as the angel told him as soon as he woke up! He had considered and delayed his course of action before then, but as soon as he knew God had spoken, he acted. What faith and faithfulness! He did the unthinkable really, he married a pregnant young woman who was not carrying his child! Yet he did it because God said so. It would not have been easy for Joseph. He would have had awkward conversations as Mary’s pregnancy became more obvious, there would be rumours, his reputation would be called into question as well as Mary’s. It must have been difficult for them both. However, both Joseph and Mary knew what had happened and were obedient to God, even though it was scary and they didn’t know who would believe them. 

Not only was Joseph obedient in marrying Mary, but even after the official wedding ceremony is complete, Joseph chooses not to consummate their marriage until after Jesus is born. He respects God so much that he puts aside himself, his rights and desires, in order to honour both God and Mary. What a humble, sacrificial man. Joseph shows himself to be a man committed to God and doing the right thing, even at his own expense. Kind, generous and faith-filled, obedient, slow to anger, considered and considerate. It is not surprising that God chose him to be the earthly father to His son. Out of painful and difficult circumstances, Joseph got to help mould and develop the Son of God. We can see that as a great privilege, which i am sure it was, but it did not come without pain and difficulty. Joseph was willing to deny himself in order to honour God and others. If you want to make an impact in the World for God’s Kingdom, are you willing to do the same; to be obedient to God even when it is inconvenient, painful and cross-cultural? God can call you to do some amazing things, but do you have the right character for it? Joseph did.

Your life matters

Jesus was born as a baby, to a real family, with real heritage and a list of forefathers, like yourself. Some were good godly people, some weren’t, some have impressive stories to tell, others seem to be just names in a list. Yet they were all related to The Son of God. They didn’t know it, but their life meant something special. They all had to live because of the the plan of God for The Messiah to come. If one person was missing, then Jesus could not have been born in this family line. Your life also means something, you matter. You are fulfilling something of the purpose of God just because you are breathing! God can do something through you and after you that is so special that it changes the lives and purpose of people to come. Are you living ike your life matters? 

You exist now because God planned it. You have a part to play in the kingdom of God being displayed on Earth in your generation and for future ones. It doesn’t matter if you know your heritage ir not, but your life counts. All of the names in the list of Jesus’ genealogy, whether we know the story of their lives or not matter, so do you. 

As you read the genealogy of Jesus below, you may recognise some names, you may not, but be encouraged that they were all important. Without them, the next generation would not come, each person had a part to play in God’s purposes being fulfilled, and the birth of the Messiah, Jesus.

Matthew 1:1–17 (ESV): 

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. 

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. 

Isn’t it incredible how God plans things?! The beauty of the time line and number of generations between different stages of Israel’s history. All of it significant because of the salvation that God has always fought for for His people. There are generations of; captives, prophets, warriors, kings, men, women, rich, poor, working class, good men, evil men, foreigners (Gentiles), and Jews that led to the birth of Jesus. Jesus was descended from Abraham - the father of the nation, he was also born form the lineage that included women from other nations like Rahab and Ruth, whom had been grafted into the nation of Israel because of their love and respect of God. Even Jesus’ genealogy demonstrates God’s acceptance and elevation of people. It demonstrates His acceptance of those who were once far off, that they too can be loved and valued as part of His kingdom. It also shows quite simply that Jesus really was human! He was born into a family with a known history, a mixed one at that full of ups and downs, faithful and unfaithful people, probably like yours. All of these people are linked through blood to culminate in not just a great king’s life like David’s, but the son of David and the son of Abraham - the Lord Jesus Christ - The Son of God! 

Each person’s life previously had led to this moment, the birth of The Messiah, Jesus! The people in his heritage matter because they existed, Jesus’ geneaology proves that whatever your lineage, or place in the generations, God can redeem all things. Jesus descended from foreigners, prophets, exiles, kings, fathers, faithful and unfaithful people. You do not have to live the same life as your forefathers, you can redeem or build on what has gone before. God wants to demonstrate His love and power in and through your life and for the generations to come. Your life matters. You have the opportunity to re-write the history of your family if that is needed and to leave the investment of a story of faith for the future generations. So how you live and the choices you make today matter, what will your legacy be for the people who come after you? 

Psalms finale

About two and a half years ago i started studying the psalms, and now we reach the final one. It has been illuminating for me. I used to think the psalms were a bit lovey-dovey, how i was wrong! They are powerful outpourings of different emotions and passionate faith! It has been inspiring to research and consider each one week be week to find out the hearts of those who wrote them, and the level of trust and hope they each had in God. They have inspired me to keep holding on, to know that steadfastness is key, and that there is always, always hope even in the most desperate situations when God is in the picture! He has triumphed over enemies, hearts, cities, the heavens, He reigns supreme and will never let you down. He is worthy to be praised always. 

So, without further ado, let us read the final psalm;

 Psalm 150:1–6 (ESV): 

Praise the Lord! 

  Praise God in his sanctuary; 

praise him in his mighty heavens! 

 2  Praise him for his mighty deeds; 

praise him according to his excellent greatness! 

 3  Praise him with trumpet sound; 

praise him with lute and harp! 

 4  Praise him with tambourine and dance; 

praise him with strings and pipe! 

 5  Praise him with sounding cymbals; 

praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 

 6  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! 

  Praise the Lord! 

How fitting that the last psalm focuses on praising God in a multitude of ways. Bearing in mind all of the psalms that have come before, the culmination of the heartache, triumph, despair, joy, patience, confusion and victory is to praise God!

No matter where you are, what you are doing or experiencing, or what you have about you - use that to praise God! If you are amongst a group of people or alone, are having an easy or a tough time, you can ‘praise him for his mighty deeds’. The things God has achieved are incredible no matter who is around or what you are doing or what is happening. God deserves to be praised because He is great! His character is perfect, steadfast, considerate, loving and powerful even when you are not feeling it or recognising it. 

Over the years when i have felt tired, downcast, overwhelmed, confused and upset, when situations have been unfair and difficult, choosing to worship has been powerful. It is often a difficult thing to do, to put aside emotions and mindset and decide to praise, but listening to worship songs, choosing to pray positively, or dancing around the kitchen, may not change the circumstances, but it has changed me. Setting your mind to praise God even when you don't feel like it is good for you. God deserves it for He is still good even if things around you aren't! 1 Thessalonians 5 says; '16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.' God's will is for you to praise Him no matter what, and it does you good for it changes your focus and your thinking, God expects you to rejoice and give thanks 'in all circumstances'! God knows what is good for you, praising Him brings joy and hope as you remember who He is. Your circumstances and emotions need to be put into perspective, and worshipping God does that. You can always, ‘praise him for his excellent greatness!’ You can always do that. For God never changes, He is always excellent and great!

You can praise God in many ways and with many things. If you play an instrument, use that to extol God, if not, you can use whatever you have; your own body in dance, your voice to sing and pray, and you can even praise God by crashing cymbals together - it doesn’t even need to sound pleasant to anyone else! Even if, like me, you do not have a singing voice that others enjoy, God loves to hear it - so sing loud as your praise is for God’s ears, not for others. Get over being embarrassed - that is concern for the opinion of others rather than the heart of God, so sing for HIm. He wants you to sing, dance, play music, he enjoys to see and hear you do that in praise of Him. Parents like to see and hear their kids do these things, even if it is a 'joyful noise' (psalm 100). So, as a child of God, show Him your love, make a noise for Him, move your body for Him, crash cymbals for Him, for He loves it! It is the heart of praise that the Lord loves to hear, so let your heart for Him come through as you worship God in your own intentional way. 

Think about God. ‘his mighty deeds’ and ‘his excellent greatness’ and let these truths lead you to overflow in worship. 'Everything that has breath' has cause to praise the Lord, so what are you praising Him for today?

Praise wins!

 Psalm 149:1–9 (ESV): 

Praise the Lord! 

  Sing to the Lord a new song, 

his praise in the assembly of the godly! 

 2  Let Israel be glad in his Maker; 

let the children of Zion rejoice in their King! 

 3  Let them praise his name with dancing, 

making melody to him with tambourine and lyre! 

 4  For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; 

he adorns the humble with salvation. 

 5  Let the godly exult in glory; 

let them sing for joy on their beds. 

 6  Let the high praises of God be in their throats 

and two-edged swords in their hands, 

 7  to execute vengeance on the nations 

and punishments on the peoples, 

 8  to bind their kings with chains 

and their nobles with fetters of iron, 

 9  to execute on them the judgement written! 

This is honour for all his godly ones. 

  Praise the Lord! 

The praise of God should be unrestrained. This psalm encourages us to be unhindered in our praise of God and to express worship wherever we are and whoever we are with. There are many ways we can worship God, and this psalm encourages the use of sung and musical worship as it is an expression of joy. 

When you are happy, you might skip, dance, or sing, as well as when you hear some music that you like. This should be how you respond to God too. For He is worthy and good. He is a great King, a kind Lord and marvellous Maker. Do not hold back your praise, or anyone else's. Instead, allow your joy to overflow whether it be; singing of new songs, using instruments or dancing. 'For the Lord takes pleasure in his people'. What a marvellous thought that as we are enjoying God, God is enjoying seeing our happiness expressed through worship. When you take pleasure in God, God takes pleasure in you. 

Do not limit the use of sung praise to a specific place. You can glorify wherever you are, whether you are amongst other believers or not, and when you are in bed (v5)! There are no restrictions to lifting God up, showing your joy and gratitude in Him. It is good for you to show your appreciation of God, He sees and hears what you do with your mouth and your body, how you use what is in your hands - so use them to glorify Him.

There is an interesting tone change in this psalm when you get to verse 6, ‘Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands’. The worship of God is not an end in itself, although God certainly deserves praise and honour. It is also a humble posture before God, and a preparation for you. It demonstrates your devotion to Him and equips you for the battles to come. God gives you a ‘two-edged sword’ when you devote your life to Him. He empowers you and equips you for the work and battle that is coming. He gives you a powerful weapon to use to vindicate His people and destroy evil. Yet it all starts with praise to Almighty God. As you worship Him and keep Him high in your mind - not the concerns of life or the power of enemies, He gives you not just any old sword, but a double-edged one! Twice the sharpness and power. God equips you and invites you into being a powerful force in His army when you serve and honour Him with your praise. You have an important part to play, so, ‘let the high praises of God’ be found coming from your mouth. This is the way you train for any battle that you face, how you overcome enemies and how you fulfill God’s purposes in your life. If you want to be an effective part of God’s Kingdom - ‘Praise the Lord!’ So, worship Him, unrestrained and honour Him with how you use your body, as you do are are giving pleasure to God, and He is preparing you for victory!

Praise the Lord!

 Psalm 148:1–14 (ESV): 

Praise the Lord! 

  Praise the Lord from the heavens; 

praise him in the heights! 

 2  Praise him, all his angels; 

praise him, all his hosts! 

 3  Praise him, sun and moon, 

praise him, all you shining stars! 

 4  Praise him, you highest heavens, 

and you waters above the heavens! 

 5  Let them praise the name of the Lord! 

For he commanded and they were created. 

 6  And he established them forever and ever; 

he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. 

 7  Praise the Lord from the earth, 

you great sea creatures and all deeps, 

 8  fire and hail, snow and mist, 

stormy wind fulfilling his word! 

 9  Mountains and all hills, 

fruit trees and all cedars! 

 10  Beasts and all livestock, 

creeping things and flying birds! 

 11  Kings of the earth and all peoples, 

princes and all rulers of the earth! 

 12  Young men and maidens together, 

old men and children! 

 13  Let them praise the name of the Lord, 

for his name alone is exalted; 

his majesty is above earth and heaven. 

 14  He has raised up a horn for his people, 

praise for all his saints, 

for the people of Israel who are near to him. 

  Praise the Lord! 

What should give praise to God?

Everything! Any creature in heaven, anything that has been created by Him, the angels and all who are in God’s presence in heaven. The; sun, moon and stars, the sky and the ‘waters above the heavens’, anything on Earth from the biggest to the smallest, and the deepest sea creatures. All sorts of weather, tall mountains to small hills, fruitful and non-fruitful trees. All animals; the scary, cute, ugly, walking, slithering and flying ones. The greatest of all people, to the least and the young men, women and children. 

All have a duty to praise God. 

I do not know about you, but I have never thought of the wind or fire praising God. Yet they can and do, isn't that marvellous?! If you are not sure how you can you praise The Lord today, take a look around you; Is it windy or sunny, dark or light, are there any type of creature? Can you feel the fire or wind? Do you see hills, mountains, seas, trees, fire or creatures? Are there people of any gender, age or station near you? Take a look, and consider, each one was made to point to and praise God. Whatever your situation and wherever you are, you are surrounded by reminders of the greatness of God. So why not consider the things you are aware of to honour and praise The Lord today. They are, just by existing, so why not join with them and praise His name. All things were created to, ‘Praise the Lord!’ So make sure you also are joining in with the praise of creation today too.

Who does God take pleasure in?

 Psalm 147:1–20 (ESV): 

Praise the Lord! 

  For it is good to sing praises to our God; 

for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. 

 2  The Lord builds up Jerusalem; 

he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 

 3  He heals the brokenhearted 

and binds up their wounds. 

 4  He determines the number of the stars; 

he gives to all of them their names. 

 5  Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; 

his understanding is beyond measure. 

 6  The Lord lifts up the humble; 

he casts the wicked to the ground. 

 7  Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; 

make melody to our God on the lyre! 

 8  He covers the heavens with clouds; 

he prepares rain for the earth; 

he makes grass grow on the hills. 

 9  He gives to the beasts their food, 

and to the young ravens that cry. 

 10  His delight is not in the strength of the horse, 

nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, 

 11  but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, 

in those who hope in his steadfast love. 

 12  Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! 

Praise your God, O Zion! 

 13  For he strengthens the bars of your gates; 

he blesses your children within you. 

 14  He makes peace in your borders; 

he fills you with the finest of the wheat. 

 15  He sends out his command to the earth; 

his word runs swiftly. 

 16  He gives snow like wool; 

he scatters frost like ashes. 

 17  He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; 

who can stand before his cold? 

 18  He sends out his word, and melts them; 

he makes his wind blow and the waters flow. 

 19  He declares his word to Jacob, 

his statutes and rules to Israel. 

 20  He has not dealt thus with any other nation; 

they do not know his rules. 

  Praise the Lord! 

God is in control. He knows what He is doing. You cannot see the fullness of His plans, but you can know the truth that God sees, hears and knows what is going on, for He is ‘abundant in power’ and ‘his understanding is beyond measure’. So if you ever feel confused or overwhelmed by what is happening, that is to be expected! You do not have the mind of God and so cannot begin to comprehend the complexities of what He is doing, but, you can learn to trust Him because God is good, powerful, and He cares of His people. 

However God does not admire or appreciate the same things as you do, ‘his delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man’. He is not looking at the same things for beauty and strength. Instead, ‘the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love’. God does not take joy in things that look good to the eye, or even that are useful, but he enjoys people whose hearts are for Him. Those who trust Him even when life is confusing and overwhelming, and when they cannot anticipate the outcome. Those who hope in God, honour and follow Him when a simpler, nicer solution seems to present itself. People like this are who God ‘takes pleasure in’. Is that you?

Are you trusting God and looking for the things that God admires? Or are you busy looking with human eyes for beauty and strength? It is important to think about the things that you get excited about and admire. Do those things turn you towards God the creator, or towards those things? God made them all. If you want God to look at you with pleasure, think about what is capturing your heart and attention. Is it God, or are there other things that captivate you? For me, I love being in nature, being outside, seeing the trees, watching the rabbits and hearing the birds. I love it because it is exciting, I am often surprised by what I experience, and I see so clearly God’s hand in nature and creation. Nature is beautiful and strong, and points to our fascinating, imaginative and powerful Creator. From the magnificence of an ancient tree to the new shoots of spring, gigantic mountains and clear streams. When i see the outside world, i find it easy to see God. For nature, as wonderful and complex as it is, is not something to be worshipped in itself, even the strength of a horse (v10), but it demonstrates the incredible beauty of the One who made it, Almighty God. In the things of this world that you admire, do you look for the hand of the Creator behind them? This is how you can admire and appreciate things of this world, and honour God in doing so, by looking at the One who made them.

God can build and create things, and destroy them in an instant. So in the enjoyment of life, do not cast all of your hope in created things or people as they are temporary, but seek God and ‘hope in his steadfast love’. His love and presence will not fade or change, so put your trust in Him as He is eternal and secure. Do not simply seek the temporal pleasure of earthly things or people, but allow God’s steadfast love, power and delight to be your source of joy and strength. Trust in Him and obey Him for as you do, you can even give joy back to God by becoming one who ‘the Lord takes pleasure in’.

What do you trust in?

 Psalm 146:1–10 (ESV): 

Praise the Lord! 

 Praise the Lord, O my soul! 

 2  I will praise the Lord as long as I live; 

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 

 3  Put not your trust in princes, 

in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 

 4  When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; 

on that very day his plans perish. 

 5  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, 

whose hope is in the Lord his God, 

 6  who made heaven and earth, 

the sea, and all that is in them, 

  who keeps faith forever; 

 7  who executes justice for the oppressed, 

who gives food to the hungry. 

  The Lord sets the prisoners free; 

 8  the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. 

  The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; 

the Lord loves the righteous. 

 9  The Lord watches over the sojourners; 

he upholds the widow and the fatherless, 

but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 

 10  The Lord will reign forever, 

your God, O Zion, to all generations. 

  Praise the Lord! 

What do you trust in?

Are there things and people that you trust in other than God? Material goods will break or rust, and people at some point will let you down. Nothing and no-one else can offer you the salvation you need. People may be able to help you out for a bit, even for as long as they live, but eventually their support will end and run out. What then? 

Only God is everlasting and ever-loving. His love, favour, grace, compassion, comfort and support will never die. He ‘keeps faith forever’! He executes justice and gives food to the hungry, He sets people free and heals, He lifts up those who are down, looks out for travellers and takes especial care of the fatherless and widow. Whatever it is you need God can provide - are you asking Him to? He never runs out, He never gets fed up of hearing your pleas, even if they are the same ones. His breath will never end, His plans will never fade or be forgotten. He will be there whenever you call upon Him.

Are you totally trusting in God? God has everything in His mighty hands. You don’t need to take responsibility for solving all of the issues and problems that you see, or depend on other people or things to solve the difficulties that you face. Instead you can trust God with them. God has the power, resources, knowledge, compassion and kindness that you need. In times when you feel unsettled, where do you run to? Is there a particular person that you call, or an activity that you do to try yo make you feel better? Have you tried praying and reflecting on who God is instead? For ‘Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God’. This does not mean that you shouldn't talk to people about what is going on, or never do anything other than pray, but what is your first response? Nothing and no-one else can bless your life and give you eternal hope like God can. So, ‘put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation’ but hope in the Lord your God who will reign forever. God has made all of creation, and He has kept it running for however long the world has existed for, He reliably causes the sun to rise and set each day, so He can take care of you and your life, and those you care about. Hope in Him. The 'Lord loves the righteous', think about those you love and what you would do for them, then consider that God loves you the same way, so why not trust in Him?