Christmas Devotional

This isn’t going to be a typical Christmas devotional. This is a devotional for those that are hurting as well as those that are doing ok, to remind us that God is in control.

Sometimes it seems like people hurt more during this season.

Sunday Jon asked for the people in our congregation that were going through difficult times to raise their hands.  There were hands raised all over our congregation. We experience times of difficulty when it seems like things should be peaceful or joyful.  Then we get frustrated that we are going through difficult times and bring our cries to God.

I am going to start with Isaiah 40:1 - God gives Isaiah a command and we have the same words given to us:

1.     1. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.  2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem (Cornerstone),and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed,  that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

Today I hope to bring comfort to you.  Your sins have been paid for and your hope is toward God.  God is calling to you from your emotional wilderness and your empty hearted desert. He wants to show you his ways and his love.

3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

The people that Isaiah ministered to couldn’t see an end to their troubles.  They complained and felt that God wasn’t there.

27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”?

They didn’t understand what they were going through and they felt that God wasn’t even paying attention to them.  Their prayers were being ignored and they were facing tough times alone. 

Or so they thought. 

To illustrate this on a smaller scale, I found this story about Christmas shopping..

I am sure you all have had experiences of frustration when shopping for Christmas.  Here is the story:

Several weeks before Christmas, a woman’s daughter called and asked, “Mom, could you go get some toys, hot chocolate, and Bibles for our military in Iraq, because I don’t have the time?” She explained, “That is what the military men and women are asking for.” and her place of business was going to send boxes of wanted things over to Iraq for Christmas.

The mom agreed to help and headed to a certain store, because Bibles there cost one dollar.  However, she could only find a few when she got there.  She asked several clerks and they said, “I don’t know where they are.”  After asking God to show where the Bibles were and combing the store, she thought, “They must not have anymore.”

She then got in a long line and paid for what she had. As she was walking out, she looked over at a man carrying about 10 Bibles.  She asked, “Hey, where did you get them?” Sure enough, he pointed 7 feet away to stacks of Bibles. 

She questioned God by saying, “God, I asked You to let me see where the Bibles were but You didn’t.  Now I will have to stand in another long line.”   She was frustrated with God and her situation.  

Can you relate?

We want things to run smoothly, without incident.  But God allows heartache, frustrations, and tribulations come into our lives.

Her shopping basket had already purchased stuff in it, so she went back and filled the kid seat part with Bibles. The Bibles were stacked very high so everyone saw them.  Little did she know that God was at work.

Upset, she got in another long line and had two women in front of her. They asked, “Why so many Bibles?”  The mom told them about the daughter’s work, and the military wanting Bibles in their Christmas boxes.  One of the gals started crying and said, “God used you to show me my prayers for our military have been answered.  I have been praying that they would turn to Him.”  The other started talking about the family in need she was buying for.  The women told her they would pray for them.  The two gals in back of the mom got into the conservation.  One handed the mom $9 and said, “I would love to have given you more to help pay for the Bibles.  I think sending Bibles to our troops is such a wonderful thing to do.  You have made my day.”  The other woman said, “This is a neat Christmas moment!”

As the mom was pushing a basket full of Bibles to her car, she was feeling in high happy spirits.  She prayed, “Lord, I am so sorry I was frustrated at You over the Bible trouble!  It made my Christmas – buying Bibles for our troops, talking to those lovely women, and seeing how You use troubles, tribulations and inconveniences to bless and strengthen us all!

27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”?

How can we say such things about God when we know perfectly well who he is and what he is like? He knows your situation perfectly, and he can and will do something about it.

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Here is the subject of trust.  This idea of trust appeared three times previously in the book of Isaiah (8:17; 25:9; 33:2) and will appear twice more (49:23; 64:4).

To “wait” on God is not simply to mark time; rather, it is to live in confident expectation of his action on our behalf. It is to refuse to run ahead of him in trying to solve our problems for ourselves.

Thus, just as Isaiah called on the people of his own day to trust God to solve their problems, he calls on the exiles in the age to come to do the same thing. If they are worn out and weary, hardly daring to believe that there is any future for them, the God of all strength can give them exactly what they need at the right time, whether to “soar,” “run,” or “walk.” (John Piper).

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5)

He is working for the good, let us trust in God’s reasoning always, knowing He is in control and loves us all! Christmas reminds us that God provides for us in ways that are beyond our comprehension.  He gave his son for us.  

He gave his life, a ransom for many so we can be a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that we should show forth the praises of God, who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

This Christmas, show the world you trust God through the good times and the bad. 

He is in control.

Finishing the Study of Mary, the mother of Jesus

Women of Courage – Finishing the Study of Mary, the mother of Jesus

Wrapping up the lesson

We returned to question 7 the attributes of God’s nature: did Mary include in her song of praise?  We read all about His greatness, his holiness, his great mercy, his power, the strength of his own arm.   We spoke about God’s faithfulness, from generation to generation.  

We returned to the blog and re-read the words that had been discussed previously.

Mary was a young girl when she was called by God, an ordinary young girl, about to experience the extraordinary.  We thought about her learning of God’s word. Children were taught God’s words, memorizing them.  Women had to depend upon the men in their lives to give them God’s instructions. 

Most Israelites were looking for a conquering king to come, but few were looking for a saving Savior.  In Luke 4 it becomes obvious.  They weren’t looking to change themselves, but for someone to change their circumstances.  People are very much the same today.  Few are willing to repent for the sin in their lives. 

When Mary was told she would bear the Christ, she was told that he would reign forever and that his kingdom would not end.  Did she also understand that He would be a suffering savior?  It may have taken time for her, as she watched his growth, wisdom, and all the things that took place in His life.  There were times throughout her life when others continued to confirm the coming kingdom.

 Luke 1- Zacharias’ prophecy when his voice returned:

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

 

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

His prophecy mentions the remission of sin.  Dayspring can be a new day or it can mean a shoot or branch.  This describes the messiah, the branch of the Lord and the light of the world. 

And in Luke 2:

²⁵ And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

Jesus is referred to as the consolation

29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;

37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

God is faithful.  Mary understood her part in God’s plan. 

REFLECTION QUESTION #5 In what ways do questions about God’s plan and purpose often keep a person from embracing the plan fully or trusting the Lord unconditionally?

The night of Christ’s birth was messy.  They didn’t have a room, things were not in place.  It was a difficult time.  She was labeled because of her pregnancy.  She had to watch her child grow and suffer.  It was a very hard time in her life.

These scriptures were given in response to the reflection

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

Lamentations 3:22-25

²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
    “therefore I will hope in him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Romans 8:26-28

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. ²⁷ And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.