May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Luke 2:6-7
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave
birth to her firstborn, a son. She [Mary] wrapped him in cloths and placed him
in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Bumping along on a lowly donkey, nine months pregnant, Mary prepared for the birth of her son, Jesus. She made the journey with her betrothed, Joseph, to the town of Bethlehem where they'd be counted and registered to pay taxes. Towards the end of a pregnancy, most women are mighty uncomfortable. I can't imagine riding a donkey on rough roads and bouncing around. But, Mary’s faith trumped her discomfort.
Womanhood
arrived early in Mary's day. History determines her to be anywhere from
fourteen to seventeen, a child in our culture. Yet her love for God matured and
grew in her few years. The angel who delivered the news that she'd give birth
to the Messiah, recognized this young woman's faith.
Mary, being
the faithful servant, accepted the angel's proclamation with grace and trust.
Trust plays
a huge part in Jesus' birth. Joseph trusted enough to wed Mary. The angel trusted God as he delivered his
messages. The shepherds trusted the angels and ran to see the baby. And Mary
trusted God with the glorious phenomenon of Jesus' birth.
As Mary
bumped along, I can't imagine the discomfort. But she moved forward as God
called her. She birthed the baby in a stable, most likely a cave where the
animals were fed and watered. Hopefully, she had clean straw and fresh water. Regardless,
Mary welcomed her child with joy that night.
As you think
about the troubles of life, the inconveniences, the losses, the illness, think
about Mary. In her discomfort and what was likely a troubled time for her, she
moved forward with trust and faith. Regardless of what's behind us, let's keep
our eyes on Jesus and celebrate the joy of this season.
Stop for a
few moments and breathe in the spirit of the season. Capture the essence of joy
Jesus brought to us. Then breathe out and share his hope.
Luke 2:15-18
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.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in
the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what
had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at
what the shepherds said to them.
Have you ever seen an alpaca?
Sometimes
confused with a llama—their ears are more rounded, their
bodies are smaller, and their fur is shaggier. A few years ago, Tim and I
visited an alpaca farm. The comical looking creatures, with their floppy hair, stood
in the field beside the Alpaca Meadows gift and wool shop. A lovely lady greeted
us and welcomed us into her store. After a little too much shopping, she
offered to show us her animals. If it hadn't been so muddy, we could have taken
one for a walk, instead, we tromped through the water-logged field for a
close-up experience. One of the alpacas, who is blind, came right to her
caretaker. She trusted her and allowed us to pet her fuzzy head, because she
knew her shepherd.
In Luke chapter
two, sheep trusted their shepherd and the shepherd trusted the Lord.
When the
angels appeared to the shepherds, fear struck them, until the angel told them
not to be afraid, but to trust. Once the shock of seeing and hearing the angels
sunk in, they hurried off to see the baby the angels proclaimed. Imagine—they arrived at the manger, a tiny baby lay in the arms of
his mother, and he is proclaimed the Messiah, the one they'd been waiting for.
No doubt the shepherds stood in awe. They'd heard God's promise of a Savior but
never expected to have the honor to be chosen to see him.
When they
left the manger, they didn't jog back to their hill. Instead, they shared the
good news—a Savior is born—the Messiah is here—we've seen him with our own eyes.
Jesus came
to the world to save us from evil and sin. He entered this world as a babe in a
manger. Smelly, stinky shepherds visited first, not kings or priests, but
everyday workers who spent time tending. And they spread the word "Jesus
is born" to everyone they saw.
From the
beginning of Jesus time on earth, God used ordinary men and women to spread the
gospel. He still does today. We don't need a fancy degree or title to be a
shepherd for Jesus. We just need to know how much he loves us.
Go tell
everyone that Jesus lives and loves them. He wants the world to know.
Luke 1:28-33
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 conceive and
give birth to a son, and you are to call him 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 Jacob’s descendants
forever; his kingdom will never end.”
An angel carried hope to a broken world.
Years ago, I
sewed an angel costume for my daughter to wear in the church's Christmas play.
She was adorable. That same simple, white dress, and angel wings have been
passed down through the family. What a delight to see the little ones dressed
in glittery garland halos, and singing from their little hearts.
How do you picture an angel?
In my mind's eye I
see cherub cheeks, ringlets in their hair, and bright eyes. Their tiny barefoot
feet poke out under crisp white gowns. Each one stands erect and they sing the
most beautiful melody. But the angels in the Bible weren't cute little cherubs,
they were pictured as fierce warriors, men dressed in white, some bigger than
life.
God created
angels to minister to his people. In the Bible, angels prepared for spiritual combat,
while others delivered divine messages. Either way, they are prepared to battle
for and care for Jesus' followers.
Before Jesus
was born, they led the brigades to prepare the way for the King of Kings. In
the Christmas story these men God sent to earth, visited Joseph, Mary,
Zechariah, and the shepherds. They showed up to spread the good news of hope,
joy, and love.
You see, God
sent the angels with purpose. Our world is broken. God's people need heavenly
beings to fight for us, assist us, and speak to us. God asked his angels to
spread God's words. I've not seen an angel (that I know of) but I believe they
dwell among us. They minister to God's people even as they did in biblical
times.
Read the
Christmas story in Matthew and Luke and focus on the angels, find the joy they
shared as hope for our weary world.
Everything looks magical when it snows.
-Lorelai Gilmore
As I drove home in the evening, the trees glistened with white,
and the ground rested under a blanket of fresh snow.
In southwest Ohio, we had our first snowfall.
I still feel like a kid when I see those flakes floating to the earth.
Something about the snow reminds me to stop and
take the time to enjoy the beauty and be thankful.
