Friday, December 03, 2010

PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS - PART 1

The birth of Jesus was no surprise. The Old Testament had foretold the birth, but what would it have been like as the time neared? Heaven must have gone to "High Alert." Everyone on standby. All checking their duties. Do you think the angels were disappointed when they were not picked for the "important" assignments?

Do you suppose there was a check list?

   Elizabeth pregnant - check

   Zechariah will name the baby boy John - check

   Mother for my Son selected - check

   Gabriel have the message to Mary memorized - check

   Star ready to shine - check

   Wise Men reading the scriptures - check

What activity! What excitement! What was God feeling? What would the conversation have been like, as God prepared Gabriel?

   "Are you sure this is the only way?" asked Gabriel.

   "Yes," answered God. "Mary will be a wonderful mother for my Son. She is such a servant and will be called blessed by all generations."

   "She is so young. So humble. You are right. She will be a good mother." said Gabriel.

   "Do you see how strong she is?" asked God. "What you are going to ask her to do will take strength. An inner strength she does not realize she has. But it is there and will let her stand tall when people talk and do not understand."

   "Besides," God said softly, "raising Jesus will not always be easy. Jesus will give Mary and Joseph great joy, but they will also experience great sorrow."

   God continued, "Gabriel, it is time. I am sending you to Nazareth. Please deliver my message to Mary. The people have been walking in darkness a very long time. Soon a child will be born. My people will be saved."

TODAYS SCRIPTURE: LUKE 1:26-38

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon 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. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

THINK ABOUT MARY --

Just for a minute, put yourself in Mary's shoes. Would you wonder if you had fallen asleep and this was all a dream? How would you explain this? Would anyone believe you? Would you believe until you saw Elizabeth was actually pregnant?

Just for a minute, put yourself in Mary's shoes. Would you be frightened? Would you be proud? Would you say, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." Or would you consider saying, "No way. Find someone else."

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