14th. December. 2020. Daily Devotion.
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants for ever; his kingdom will never end.’34 ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’35 The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.’38 ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her. Luke 1:26-38
The story of Mary and the birth of her son, Jesus, is the one of the most divine accounts in the Bible. As Christian’s, may we be as accessible to the Holy Spirit as Mary. Because of her obedience to God, He was able to work through her to give the world the supreme gift; the birth of Jesus Christ. She is a glorious example for Christians to follow in their own faith walk because of her complete faith in God, she said yes!
In the coming weeks we will be celebrating Christmas. For many people, the gifts are wrapped, mailed, or under the Christmas tree. The homes are decorated, and the food is being prepared for Christmas Day. However, have you made the most important preparation of all? Have you prepared your gift to give to Jesus? Why not take time to contemplate, meditate, and learn from the experience of Mary and her reaction to the angel that God sent named Gabriel. Because she had a willing heart to be obedient to God, she was chosen to give birth to a son named, Jesus.
Are you preparing your soul to hear the whisper of His voice when He speaks to you in the hustle and bustle during this Christmas week and Christmas Day? Are you like Mary? Are you ready to say an unconditional yes when the Lord asks a special assignment of you? JC.
Preparation for Prayer
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly-minded. For with blessings in his hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth, our full homage to command. Amen. ~ from the Liturgy of Saint James.
Thanks for Christ’s Birth
God of every nation and people, from the beginning of Creation you have made known your love through the gift of your Son, who bears the name Emmanuel, “God with Us.” In the fullness of time the Christ-child came to be the Good News to all who would receive him.
Grant that I may remember every day the blessing that this season represents, to me personally and to all Christians throughout the world; and especially, to those who have not yet received the Word, but may find Christ in the future. Thank you, Lord, for your great blessing to us all. Amen.
Prayer
Thank you, God, for every opportunity that you give me to live for you. Help me to see the opportunities and grant me the boldness to take them. Now in the silence will you reveal one thing I should do today that will please you? Amen.
How long, Lord?
Sometimes Lord I simply get tired of waiting for things to get back to normal. How long more? Then I remember the well-known plea in the words of Psalm 13. How long O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? But I read on and hear the psalmist sing, “How good our God has been to me.” Yes, despite it all I am blessed in so many other ways. Amen — By a Columban Missionary.
