My word for 2023 was Obedience. To me and my rebellious spirit, that is a tough word. I have found it calming this year as I have leaned into my walk with the Lord and waited upon Him. Obedience goes hand in hand with patience as I sought to follow Him and must reign myself in so that I do not run ahead. Personally, I set a goal of reading the entire Bible in a year, it seemed like an overwhelming task. As I committed my days to Him, set a time and a place for my reading, God was faithful to meet me there. I was amazed that only 1 or 2 times during the year did I miss a day and have to catch up on the reading. Even during my trip to Europe, I kept it up. Even during my visits to relatives, with my busy schedule, etc., I kept it up. God met me each and every day in His Word to guide me through. The two verses I choose for this year: Psalm 128:1 and Deuteronomy 10:12 have been beacons of hope and resolution throughout the year.
“Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.’ Psalm 128:1
“And now, Linda, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 10:12
As we look forward to 2024, may we take some time today to reflect and thank God for His goodness and faithfulness to each of us. In this world filled with strife and turmoil, may we hold onto the Hope that we find in Jesus and know the God Keeps His Promises, all of them.
On this 4th Sunday before Christmas, we light the peace candle. The candle we lit on the First Sunday of Advent was the prophecy candle which symbolized the hope the coming Messiah brings to mankind. The second was the Bethlehem candle which reminded us of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. The third candle symbolized the Shepherd’s joy at the birth of the Messiah. Today we light the Angel candle symbolizing the message given to the angels which was one of “Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men.” Because today is Christmas Eve we will also light the final white center candle which speaks of the arrival of the Messiah, the Christ child.
Rejoice today as you worship and sing carols. Ponder the blessings of hope, joy and peace that come to us because of God’s mercy and grace in sending Jesus as our Savior. Here is Psalm 130 which speaks of our cries to God for mercy as we realize our own sin. The answer rests with the Lord and His mercy towards us in sending Jesus.
From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help. 2 Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.
3 Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? 4 But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.
5 I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. 6 I long for the Lord more than sentries long for the dawn, yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.
7 O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. 8 He himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin.
Thank you Lord for your unfailing mercy and love. Thank you for sending Jesus to redeem me from every kind of sin. Thank you Lord that You have everything under your control. I will trust in You.
Today we see the shepherds actions following the appearance of the angels and their announcement of Messiah’s birth. Luke 2:15-20
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
How do you react to having a story, message or expectation confirmed? The shepherds were forever changed as they had seen God incarnate. They were praising and glorifying God, telling everyone they could find. Having your faith confirmed or bolstered is an exhilarating experience that continues in your heart and mind as your life goes on. You are forever changed as faith takes hold of your very being. Knowing and encountering Jesus does that to a person. He changes your very being and comes to dwell within you. That is an additional meaning to “God with us.” Paul describes this phenomena in Romans 8:9 “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” and he continues in verse 11 “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”
Where do you see God in this scene? God appeared through the angels and drew the shepherds to Bethlehem to encounter His son. God draws us too as He wants us to see and meet Jesus for ourselves. God confirmed His words as they saw exactly what God said they would. God keeps His promises. An encounter with Jesus will change a person! Mary was changed as she soaked in all the events. I’m sure the shepherds told others continually of their own encounter with God’s messengers and His message to them. This would have confirmed her faith and what she herself had been told by the angel. God’s effect on the shepherds shows His power and might. His transforming power and sovereignty.
Will you be open to God’s transformation this Christmas? Look with faith upon the manger this year and seek a personal encounter with Jesus. He will transform you, guarenteed!
Yesterday I looked into Joseph being the right man for God at the right time. His character was godly and he cared deeply for Mary and did not want to damage her reputation. God affirmed Mary in his eyes as He revealed to him the child was to be of God and that they together had a mission to perform for Him. Today’s passage looks at the vision God gave Joseph and the reassurances he needed to step out in faith and trust in God alone. Matthew 1:20-25
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 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.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Joseph was considering what to do about their situation and God’s timing was perfect when He appeared to him in a dream. He assured him it was right to go ahead and take Mary as his wife. He assured him that the child was of God and they would call him Jesus. The baby was the fulfillment of scripture concerning the virgin birth from Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Joseph, being a godly Jew, would have been familiar with this prophesy concerning the coming Messiah. God also gave him a significant reasons to move forward, as this coming child would be God coming down to them. He would be dwelling with them physically and He would save them from their sins. Joseph was convinced and trusted God to work out all the details. He got up and did what the angel said and too Mary as his wife. Out of respect for God and the baby Mary was carrying, he waited to make Mary fully his wife until she had delivered Jesus.
God had His hand upon Joseph in a mighty way. He assured him, guided his thoughts, affirmed the truth of the situation but left the commitment to Joseph. God wants us to desire to serve Him with our whole heart, mind, will and devotion. Joseph stepped up and followed through for God. How about you? Do you lack commitment and resolve in godly matters? Ask God for reassurance and to speak to your thoughts and affirm what you are to do. Then stepping out will be easier than you think.
The second part of Zachariah’s song of praise and prophecy shows his father’s heart and reveals what God has planned for both his son and the effects of the Messiah upon the world. Luke 1:76-80
“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
Zachariah’s speaks of who his son will be and his godly mission. John would be a prophet and prepare the hearts of the people for the coming Messiah. He would preach repentance and point the people to God. I am reminded of Isaiah’s prophetic words about this coming messenger from God. Isaiah 40:3-4 gives a description of this messenger and his purpose and was written hundreds of years before John’s birth. “Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! 4 Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.” In the Gospel of John Chapter 1, John the disciple, uses Isaiah’s words to describe this John the Baptist. John 1:22-23 “Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”23 John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’” John preached repentance for sin and baptized with water. He said one was coming who would be greater than he. John 1:26-27 “John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. 27 Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”
Zachariah then prophesied about the light of God that would be coming into the world. He would come to give light in our dark world of sin and death and guide us towards peace with God. Jesus spoke of himself as the light to this world. John 8:12 “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 12:35 “Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.” John 16:13 speaks of the guidance Jesus promised through the Holy Spirit, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” John 16:33 speaks of peace in Jesus, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Zachariah’s prophecies were immediately fulfilled in the lives of John the Baptist and Jesus and after Jesus’ death in the coming of the Holy Spirit!
This chapter concludes with an anecdote on the growing up years of John before he began to preach. 80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
God is clearly visible in the fulfilled prophesy included in Zachariah’s song. Praise God for these confirmations in scripture that build and encourage our faith.
In our story so far, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah and told him that his aged wife Elizabeth would have a child and his son John would have a mission given by God in calling Israel to repentance in preparation for the coming Messiah. Elizabeth was about 6 months along when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. Mary was told that she would give birth to the Son of God. She quickly headed to Elizabeth and Zachariah’s home to stay with them. Elizabeth confirms the baby Mary is carrying is of God.
Today’s verse is from Luke 1:56 “Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.” Why is this significant? Mary was young and needed emotional support during this time as she adjusted to the changes in her life. Elizabeth was old and needed help as her pregnancy advanced. Mary needed a ‘soft spot to land’ away from prying eyes and wagging tongues while Joseph took care of things. Elizabeth had a husband that could not talk to her and was in need of companionship and physical support. Mary undoubtedly stayed until after John was born, named and Zachariah was able to talk again. God knew that Mary and Elizabeth could be of help to one another at these critical times in their lives and the angel even mentioned Elizabeth to Mary by name. Their love and support for one anther is an example of God’s providential care. God divinely cares for each of us and provides circumstances that will help, support and care for us. Having Mary and Elizabeth live close to one another and being able to come and be with one another shows us God’s care and love for both of these women.
Who can you support and/or care for during this holiday season? Is there someone that you know needs a meal, a card, a phone call, an email, etc. that you could provide? God places us in community to show love and support for one another. Seeking to connect with others with helping hands shows God’s love. Be a Mary or an Elizabeth to those around you this year. You will be blessed.
The second Sunday of Advent is when the candle of faith or love is lit. Both of these proclaim the blessing to come because of God’s great love for us, by sending Jesus to be born in Bethlehem. This week we will focus on Mary’s magnificent song recorded in scripture, the birth of John to Elizabeth and Zechariah, and their reactions to his birth besides the fact that dad could now talk! Prepare your hearts and minds to reach into scripture and discover new aspects of God’s love and meaning for yourself as you read the scripture with faith. Faith pleases God and through our faith in Jesus He blesses us with His love and peace. He also gives us understand and insights into His Word- so be prepared to be blessed this week.
I will leave you today with this Psalm 92:1-5 and 12-15
A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.
92 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, 3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. 4 For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. 5 How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!
The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, 15 to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
The angel’s visit to Mary reveals significant things about God’s plan to reconcile mankind to Himself. Let’s look at the passage in Luke 1:26-38 again.
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
What do we learn of God’s plan? *God’s Son will be miraculously born of Mary a young unwed Jewish woman. *Jesus would be his name and he would be born to Jewish parents (Mary and Joseph) in the line of David. *Jesus is God’s son and will be given the throne of David, by God, to reign forever as his kingdom will never end. *The baby will be a holy child (sinless).
God shows his unique ability to cut into human history by bringing His Son into the world in a human way but also making him divine. Only God is holy so this child is His in nature- pure, undefiled by sin. But he is also human as he lived and died on earth. It is an incomprehensible plan by human standards but Sovereign God can and did accomplish it. I pray that the magnitude of God’s sacrifice at giving up His only son for this mission to reconcile you and me will seep into your heart and soul this season. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus. John 3:16 says it perfectly, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” It is a plan filled with love, hope and giving. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for what God did in sending Jesus.
We will leave Zachariah and Elizabeth for a bit and turn our attention to Mary. Mary was a young woman who was pledged to marry a Jewish man named Joseph. Like Zachariah, Mary was visited by an angel with a specific message for her. Here is the first part of her story, Luke 1:26-33.
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Mary was visited by the archangel named Gabriel, the same angel who had spoken to Zachariah. We are given times and places where this event occurred. In the sixth month refers to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Jesus and John were to be close in age. The place Nazareth was located in the region of Galilee and where Mary and Joseph resided. Joseph, her betrothed, was in the line of David which was very important as Messiah was to come from the line of David. Actually both Mary and Joseph were descendants of David. After greeting Mary, the angel first addresses her fear and proclaims she is favored by God. What an amazing message the angel gives to this young unwed girl. She was to have a child, but she was not married and had not known any man. She was perplexed about this but asks her questions of the angel with showing doubt towards God. The encounter continues in Luke 1:34-38
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary does not doubt God’s ability to perform this miracle within her and radiates confidence and hope in her response. She is humble and obedient towards God.
What do we learn about God in this encounter? God shows himself and his power through the angel Gabriel. He appeared to her personally and reassured her that all would be well with her. When given momentous tasks to perform, God attends to the details and gives us reassurances that it will succeed. Maybe it is a complement from a coworker, an unexpected gift or money to see the job done, support from a friend, prayers directed to uplift you by other believers, peace in your mind or heart or an encouraging passage from His Word to motivate you. God uses all those around us to do His bidding and support us. Here he used the miraculous and given the mission, it is an encounters that will last a lifetime. God know exactly what Mary needed to reassure her, and He knows what you need. We just have to be open to His encouragements and looking for them expectantly. God was a personal God to Mary and is personal to you and me. He cares about each of us. Peter writes in 1 Peter 5:7 that God encourages us to give Him our anxieties and worries because He cares about us. “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Good words for Mary as she was told to trust God and good words for us today.
The angel spoke to Zachariah and told him, much to his disbelief, that he and Elizabeth would have a child who would be used mightily by God. What of Elizabeth’s response? Did she say, “Oh, No, that can’t be as I’m well advanced in years?” “What do you mean I’m going to have a child, after all this time? Are you kidding?” Remembering that she was described as a godly woman who sought to serve the Lord, let’s consider her reply. Luke 1:23-25.
23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
Elizabeth was accepting of God’s gift of a child and filled with thankfulness. She deemed God’s actions toward her, causing her to be with child, as an act of great kindness. Here we see that the stigma of not being able to have a child had been a burden and a cause for great sorrow in her life. Instead of questioning the why’s of her situation, she accepted it gracefully and gave thanks. Because of her age the 5 months in seclusion were probably precautionary incase of miscarriage and to keep tongues from wagging on her behalf.
Think about your own life. How have you reacted to a long awaited person, place or event in your life? Do you say, “Well finally!” or Do you accept the timing and move forward? We see grace from Elizabeth. She accepted the favor and kindness from the Lord and used the opportunity to give thanks and glory to God. Does this resonate with you? Is your first response one of gratitude. Paul wrote to the Corinthians about gratitude for Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4:15 speaks to us about why we need to respond with gratitude for God’s hand in our lives. “All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.” Our gratitude is pleasing to Him and brings Him glory.
What do we learn about God from Elizabeth’s story? God is compassionate and desires to bless us. His timing is not our timing and we need to trust Him. God wanted this specific child, John, to be born to Zachariah and Elizabeth at just this time prior to His own son’s arrival. He wanted a godly couple who would love and care for this special child, and He chose the timing of his arrival. Zachariah and Elizabeth were blessed as they waited upon the Lord in their lives and when the timing was right, God gave them a child. Here we can see the reason for God’s timing but that is not always the case. As we go through life and experience God’s timing, we grow in faith and learn to trust Him more.
Linda
P.S. Like Elizabeth, I waited 14 years for the arrival of my Elizabeth. God’s timing was perfect for her to enter our lives. As I look back, I see that had she arrived earlier we would have struggled mightily. God knew when it was just the perfect time for us to have a child. It helped me to grow in faith and see His timing as a blessing.
