Category: ADVENT DEVOTIONAL

MARY DID YOU KNOW?

Looking back, I reflect with clarity God’s hand on my life, but I cannot see what lies ahead.

I am excited about retiring and look forward to the next chapter of my life. Yet, unexpected emotions pop up, regarding the end of a season and the beginning of a new season. Looking back, I reflect with clarity God’s hand on my life, but I cannot see what lies ahead.

My job with my current employer began as a short-term temporary assignment, but circumstances offered me a greater role. God gave me a boss who was also my biggest cheerleader. She prompted me to further my education, launching my career path. My entire 23 years was like that. God gave me people who had a larger vision for my future than I did. God always has the larger plan in mind.

CHANGING SEASONS

Recently, in what could have been my final promotion, I blew an interview.  Although it was 100% my own fault, God allowed it.  He knew then what I know now: the promotion would have added more years to my career. According to God’s timeline, this season is ending and the unknown (from my vantage point) looms on the horizon. Do you also find it challenging to change seasons?

UNCERTAIN AND CONFUSED

How do you think Mary and Joseph felt as they walked over to the final hill into the town of strangers, Bethlehem? God had figured everything out, even though the young couple were uncertain and confused. He had a greater vision for their future than they could ever imagine. Their story through their seasons is like no other’s.

HOW PERPLEXED THEY MUST HAVE BEEN

Over the course of the years came major events. A king tried to murder Mary and Joseph’s first born. Then there was the occasion when they lost their special twelve-year-old in the large city of Jerusalem. The frantic parents discovered their young son Jesus teaching old men in the Temple. How perplexed they must have been. As an adult, Jesus became a teacher, who was both honored, revered, vilified, hated, and spit on.

Then came the cross. None of Jesus’ disciples understood the magnitude of what His death meant for the entire world. Even though Jesus had told them about it, they had no clue regarding the upcoming resurrection.

CON YOU GLIMPSE THE JOY TO COME?

Mary knelt at the cross, lost in confusion and grief. Yet God’s favor on Jesus, was present every step of the way, every season, even into eternity. Mary, in your heartbreak, could you glimpse the joy to come?

O COME, ALL YOU UNFAITHFUL!

Everything hit her like a tsunami. It filled with her overwhelming guilt.

In an interview, Lisa Clow remembered the circumstances of the unusual titling of this song.  She was coming out of a year of pain comprised of a miscarriage of twins, financial worries and dealing with deep wounds of bitterness.  Christmas was coming. For the first time she told her church that she wouldn’t be participating in the music.  Lisa didn’t give them the reason; she just declined the invitation. 

EVERYTHING HIT LIKE A TSUNAMI!

And then came that ill-fated Sunday morning when they sang the traditional “O Come, All Ye Faithful”.  Everything hit her like a tsunami. Overwhelmed with guilt, she contemplated how her joy had run out and that she felt like a “triumphant failure”.  As she drove home in tears, she asked: “Is that really who is invited to come to Jesus? The faithful? The joyful? The triumphant? If so, then I am hopeless.” 

COME ALL WHO ARE WEARY

The Holy Spirit brought to mind “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).  This is an extremely broad call to the bitter, broken, fearful.  It summons those who struggle with guilt, who would prefer to hide under a rock and never be seen again. Jesus invites us to rest.  To rest in His life, death and resurrection.  We cannot find such a beautiful breathing space and respite with our own resources. 

HIS PROMISE IS PEACE

This call isn’t to those who think they have life all figured out and are self-sufficient.  It is to those of us who have dealt with reality and found we do not have the resources to go forward.  “We have nothing,” Lisa remarked. “His promise is peace for those who believe.”

HE JUST SAYS “COME!”

Maybe you are facing these holidays depleted.  You are running on empty. Your joy departed the scene quite a while ago.  Jesus calls to you in your state of poverty, regardless of whether it is emotional, mental, physical or spiritual.  He just says, “Come!”

Come, weak and unstable, Come, know you are not alone. See what your God has done. Christ is born for you. O come, bitter and broken, come with fears unspoken. Come, taste of His perfect love, guilty and hiding ones, there is no need to run.

MEMORY OF THE MANGER

It was standing room only. Yet, did we do justice to the birth of the Son of God?

After dinner on Christmas Eve, as children, we always attended church. Everyone dressed for the occasion. After all, we weren’t we celebrating the birth of The King? This goes much further than any earthly coronation. I saw men in suits and ties; women decked out in dresses and hats. It was standing room only. Yet, did we do justice to birth of the Son of God?

THE PROCESSION OF THE KINDS

The manger took center stage in the front of the sanctuary. The service began and everyone turned to the rear to view the stately procession of the robed Three Wise Men (Matthew 2:1-10). As they proceeded down the aisle, the men sang their theme song, each one soloing his own verse. All the congregation then slowly turned to the front as the “kings” reverently processed to the manger. At the feet of the sleeping baby Jesus, they lay their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

SURROUNDED BY WORSHIP

The voices of the choir encircled our hearts with beautiful Christmas music. We all joined in, singing the familiar carols. The stately pipe organ accompanied it all. I felt surrounded by emotions of expectation and worship, totally caught up in God’s greatest gift, the Lord Jesus Christ.

NO ONE WAS FORGOTTEN

Christmas Day, we attended a quieter service, followed by Mom’s sumptuous meal with a flaming English plum pudding, topped with sweet vanilla fondant for dessert. With full bellies, we then sat around the beautifully lit, fully decorated evergreen. Dad proceeded to read “The Other Wiseman“ and Luke’s Christmas story (Luke 2:1-20). Of course, we followed with our exchange of gifts. The day ended with delivering Mom’s homemade bread to our neighbors. Mom’s baking was a treat. No one was forgotten.

THE GREATEST GIFT

Christmas is a time of hearing God’s word; of feeling like actual witnesses to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. This is God time of giving. He offers the greatest gift: eternal life. Without the birth of Jesus and His love, there is no Christmas, no reason to worship, and no hope.

THE OPEN INVITATION

May the gift of love, grace and eternal life, which Jesus came to offer, be yours this Christmas season. Make an effort to share it, especially with those outside in the cold who long to be invited to the manger. There is always room for one more.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver, Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit, Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

WE ARE FAVORED, DO NOT FEAR!

He makes her the most honored woman on earth, but she is to become intimately acquainted with the worst heartbreak known to humanity.

I have struggled with all types of fears, both real and imagined during recent years. I view my friends either expanding in trusting God or floundering in despair. In my own heart, often I wonder about God’s plans as I navigate through a world unrecognizable from ten years ago. What does God say to my heart during these times of turbulence? He points to Mary.

GOD FAVORS HER

She is only a simple teenage girl, brought up in a backwater town. So why Mary? God never provides any extensive explanation. The angel announces to Mary that she is chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. God “favors” this unwed girl to give birth to the Chosen One, the Savior of the world. All she knows is that God has chosen her. God “favors” her.

COMBINING FAVOR WITH HEARTBREAK

I always connect favor with honor: someone given front row seats, the keys to the city and a crown on their head. It is hard to combine the concept of favor with heartbreak.

FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY MIXED WITH JOY

In Luke 1 the angels twice calls Mary “favored by God”, blessed by God. He makes her the most honored woman on earth, but she is to become intimately acquainted with the worst heartbreak known to humanity. At the angel’s initial announcement, she feels fear and uncertainty mixed with joy. This expands and painfully stretches year by year. She sees her beloved Son grow up and do the unexpected, time after time. Her sinless Son lives in a broken world, attacked by the forces of hell.

THE GOD WHO REDEEMS ME AND EVER KEEPS ME

This favored woman daily needs the angel’s words to resonate in her heart: The God who redeems you and ever will keep you is near, do not fear. In these days of darkness, I also need this promise and hope. The God who redeems me and ever keeps me is near. Do not fear.

Humble virgin, arise and take heart you’ve been chosen to carry a son. Give no heed to the trembling inside for the wonder has only begun;

Do not fear, do not fear, the child you will hold is the Savior foretold drawing near. The God who redeems you and ever will keep you is near, do not fear!

BEHOLD THE GIFT!

Surely everyone deserved this. Anyone, except for me

My husband is known as a giver of great gifts and I am a regular beneficiary. One Christmas in particular, he gave me extravagant gifts. Each one was more lavish than the last. I felt so undeserving of his unabashed love and generosity for me. I began to do the math, to count the cost in my head. The sum was too costly! Why would he spend this much on me? Surely there were others more deserving, our grandkids, kids, or parents. Anyone but me.

THE GIFT I NEEDED

I am about as directionally challenged as they come. It is no shock that one of the best gifts was a GPS. I had recently received a promotion that required me to drive to different locations on a regular basis. Without it, I would be hopelessly lost. My husband knew I needed this gift. His face filled with joy as he gave it to me. I needed to receive it.

THE GIFT GOD KNOWS WE NEED

My husband’s love and gifts are just a dim reflection of God’s demonstrated love and extravagant gift. He knows we are desperately in need of a Savior, or we would be hopelessly lost for eternity. We all are undeserving. Still, God gave the best gift in sending His son, Jesus Christ, Divinity Incarnate. He came in our flesh, breathed our air, and died in our place. But that’s not the end. The tomb is empty! He rose again so that we can be with Him forever. This Christmas season, I invite you to behold this gift, a demonstration of a love beyond all comprehension. Understand that He loves you so much that there is no cost too high. Will your heart prepare Him room? 

Behold the King has come, divinity incarnate, creator of the world, breathing our air
Behold what light has come and the dark cannot contain it
The Savior of the world is finally here

Behold, the Father’s love beyond all comprehension
He gave His only Son to die in our place
Go and see that empty tomb. He’s not there, for He is risen
Every heart prepare Him room, Jesus Christ, the King of Heaven