The First Christmas

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Luke 2:1-20 (KJV)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David): To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.




*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Merry Christmas!

A Price Worth Paying

December. The month we celebrate the birth of Jesus. As I decorated our Christmas tree and festive music played in the background, I couldn't help thinking about the time leading up to that first Christmas so many years ago...

No doubt Mary was excited. I imagine she was anticipating her marriage to Joseph, the talented carpenter. Wedding preparations were in full swing. No detail would be overlooked. The list of food for the celebration was thoroughly checked and re-checked. Although modest, accommodations for the guests were carefully thought through.

After a full day of chores and working on her wedding dress, Mary was more than ready for a good night of sleep. Little did she know this night would radically change the course of her life.

The being in her room could be none other than an angel. Before she could react, he was speaking, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women," (Luke 1:28; KJV). 

A bit frightened, Mary was troubled at his words, and wondered what he could possibly mean. Before she was able to respond, the angel delivered his message, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus," (Luke 1:30-31).

What? How could this be possible? Mary was a virgin. 

The angel gave her the answer, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God...For with God nothing shall be impossible," (Luke 1:35, 37).

Incredible! To be highly favored by God, and chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary's response was immediate, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word," (Luke 1:38).

No hesitation. 

Full obedience.

As I continued to hang the Christmas ornaments on my tree, I couldn't help but think of the cost of obedience. For Mary, her reputation would be ruined. She would be shunned by family, friends, and society for becoming pregnant outside of marriage. It was possible that she could be stoned. Even her fiancé, Joseph, may not believe her. 

But Mary chose to believe God, and fully surrendered to His will for her. Although her life wasn't easy, Mary's obedience was rewarded by God. The Messiah was born Who would provide salvation for all mankind.

Obedience.

Being willing to submit to the Lord's authority. 

I had to ask myself if I am willing to pay the price of being obedient to my Savior, if it means running the risk of suffering. 

Tough question. But one that I can answer in the affirmative when I contemplate the outcome - hearing the words of my Heavenly Father, "...Well done, thou good and faithful servant," (Matthew 25:21a).

Are you willing to pay the price of obedience to Christ? What step will you take to be obedient today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Word. I love the examples of ordinary people, just like me, who chose to be obedient to You. Help me to choose to be obedient to You today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

*The events leading up to the appearance of the angel are fictionalized. The quoted scriptures contain the factual account. For the entire story, read Luke 1:26-38.

*I'm hosting over at Living by Grace today. Come join in the discussion!

Special Cousins

Christmas decorating is nearly done. Shopping is well under way. In just a few weeks, we'll have the opportunity to spend the holiday season with our extended family - one of the things I truly treasure this time of year. I can already picture my nieces and nephews opening their gifts and enjoying a special camaraderie that only cousins can share. My mind drifts back to some cousins from long ago.

Zacharias and Elisabeth didn't have any children. They had prayed diligently for the blessing of a baby, but with each passing year their hopes waned. But that all changed with the appearance of an angel with unbelievable news.

Zacharias was performing his duty as a priest in the Temple one day, when an angel of the Lord appeared, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Imagine! What could this mean? Zacharias was afraid. The angel began to speak, "Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John," (Luke 1:13; KJV). I can picture Zacharias' surprise. Maybe he closed his eyes and re-opened them, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. But the angel was still there.

How could it be possible? Zacharias and his wife were old - surely they were well beyond child-bearing age. There was no way...He couldn't keep the question to himself any longer, "Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well sricken in years," (Luke 1:18). The angel, Gabriel's, response was a bit more than Zacharias had bargained for, "And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season," (Luke 1:20).

Imagine Elisabeth's surprise when her husband came home, unable to speak, yet sharing news that an angel had appeared to him, assuring him that they were going to have a baby! She was probably speechless herself, with words like, "No way!" echoing through her mind. But with God, all things were possible, and sure enough, Elisabeth conceived.

A few months later, and miles away in Nazareth, Elisabeth's cousin Mary received some incredible news as well. The same angel, Gabriel, appeared to Mary informing her that she would be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah. He went on to share with her, "And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren," (Luke 1:36).

The Messiah that had been prophesied all these years would be Mary's son? Unbelievable! And her cousin's son, John, would prepare the way for him. Mary chose to believe the angel's news and made a visit to Elisabeth.

As soon as Mary greeted her cousin, she was in for a surprise, "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy," (Luke 1:41-44).

What followed, was a sweet time of praising the Lord for His incredible goodness. Two cousins, both expecting babies by miraculous means. I believe they spent an unforgettable three months together before Mary returned to Nazareth.

As you look forward to this Christmas season, make it a point to spend time with family and friends. And most importantly, take the opportunity to celebrate the Savior's birth!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of family. And for a time that is set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Help me share You with others this Christmas season. In Jesus' name, Amen.

A Price Worth Paying

December. The month we celebrate the birth of Jesus. As I decorated our Christmas tree and festive music played in the background, I couldn't help thinking about the time leading up to that first Christmas so many years ago...

No doubt Mary was excited. I imagine she was anticipating her marriage to Joseph, the talented carpenter. Wedding preparations were in full swing. No detail would be overlooked. The list of food for the celebration was thoroughly checked and re-checked. Although modest, accommodations for the guests were carefully thought through.

After a full day of chores and working on her wedding dress, Mary was more than ready for a good night of sleep. Little did she know this night would radically change the course of her life.

The being in her room could be none other than an angel. Before she could react, he was speaking, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women," (Luke 1:28; KJV). A bit frightened, Mary was troubled at his words, and wondered what he could possibly mean. Before she was able to respond, the angel delivered his message, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus," (Luke 1:30-31).

What? How could this be possible? Mary was a virgin. The angel gave her the answer, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God...For with God nothing shall be impossible," (Luke 1:35, 37).

Wow! Nothing less than incredible! To be highly favored by God, and chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary's response was immediate, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word," (Luke 1:38). No hesitation. Full obedience.

As I continued to hang the Christmas ornaments on my tree, I couldn't help but think of the cost of obedience. For Mary, her reputation would be ruined. She would be shunned by family, friends, and society for becoming pregnant outside of marriage. It was possible that she could be stoned. Even her fiancé, Joseph, may not believe her. But Mary chose to believe God, and fully surrendered to His will for her. Although her life wasn't easy, Mary's obedience was rewarded by God. The Messiah was born Who would provide salvation for all mankind.

Obedience. Being willing to submit to the Lord's authority. I had to ask myself if I am willing to pay the price of being obedient to my Savior, if it means running the risk of suffering. Tough question. But one that I can answer in the affirmative when I contemplate the outcome - hearing the words of my Heavenly Father, "...Well done, thou good and faithful servant," (Matthew 25:21a).

Are you willing to pay the price of obedience to Christ? What step will you take to be obedient today?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Word. I love the examples of ordinary people, just like me, who chose to be obedient to You. Help me to choose to be obedient to You today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

*The events leading up to the appearance of the angel are fictionalized by me. The quoted scriptures contain the factual account. For the entire story, read Luke 1:26-38.

Light Bulb Moment

The wind was powerful. It was the kind of breeze that was strong enough to rock the car as we drove. And completely destroy any hairdo subjected to its force! My daughter and I were enjoying the beauty of the beach. The white sand and gorgeous blue-green waters seemed almost tropical. Yellow flags along the coast warned swimmers to take caution while in the water. And we were advised to avoid the strong rip current.

High overhead, colorful shapes dotted the sky. They appeared to be enormous kites. But as they moved closer to us, we saw cables running from the sails down to men on surfboards. Kite surfers. Instead of bemoaning the fact that conditions weren't ideal for swimming, these guys had determined to take advantage of the wind and enjoy the opportunity to speed effortlessly across the surface of the water.

A light bulb moment. How many times do I allow myself to be discouraged from doing something because things don't line up as I think they should? These kite surfers were driving home a point. It was true that due to the wind, swimming was a poor choice, but the wind was creating the perfect opportunity to kite surf!

Oftentimes in life, I have a plan sketched out in my mind of how I'm going to accomplish something. When circumstances don't occur exactly as I think they should, I'm stymied, and stop dead in my tracks. I see the obstacles rather than focusing on the options. Can anyone relate?

The kite surfers reminded me of a valuable truth. There are always options. If I'm willing to seek God's direction every step of the way, He will show me how He wants me to proceed; whether it's a minor tweak in plans or climbing the obstacle that's before me.

Remember the story of Mary? A girl intent on doing the will of God. Things were going well. She was engaged to Joseph, a respected carpenter, and she was thrilled to be planning the details of their wedding. Then it happened. And everything changed. An angel appeared to her with some pretty shocking news, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus, " (Luke 1:30-31; KJV).

We all know the story. But think about the stigma attached to an unwed mother in those days. At best, she could attempt to hide the pregnancy, at worst, she would be stoned to death. And what about her wedding plans? Surely Joseph wouldn't want to marry her now! No doubt, a multitude of questions plagued Mary. Yet she chose to respond with the following words, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word..." (Luke 1:38). She demonstrated her trust in God, confident that He would help her overcome every obstacle in her path.

I have the same choice - be overwhelmed by circumstances, or trust God to help me see the options and overcome the obstacles.

Where is your focus today? On obstacles or options? Choose to trust the One who is able to help you overcome!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for this simple lesson learned from some kite surfers. When I face obstacles, help me to seek You. As You reveal Your will, help me to follow in obedience. Thank You for guiding me one step at a time. In Jesus' name, Amen.