Advent – Joy – Glorifying and Praising God

Luke 2:20 (ESV)

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
 

 

Advent – Joy – Let Us Go

Luke 2:15-16 (ESV)

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

 

Advent – Peace – They Were Filled With Fear

Luke 2:8-9 (ESV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.


Just short thoughts today.

Last night, when I was sleeping in my son’s room to make sure he wasn’t coughing up a lung, I was worried.  My son had never been sick before, and his coughing sounded like that of a crusty old sailor.  In the dark of the night, I lay there with my eyes closed – praying, meditating, reflecting.

Out of the darkness, a hand clasped my arm.  Yanked from the deepness of my thoughts, I blearily opened my eyes to discern what was going on. 

It was my wife, who, in spy-like form, had crept to the bed.  She thought I was looking at her.

I can sympathize with the shepherds.  Here they were, keeping watch over their flocks by night.  And then boom – out of nowhere, a startling display of the glory of God is suddenly shining around them.  And I don’t think that it was just because they were startled.  They were stunned at the radiance of God’s glory.

However, as we’ll see soon, God wasn’t trying to make them afraid; he was coming to announce peace.

 

Advent – Faith – A Just Man

Matthew 1:18-19 (ESV) *

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 


Most likely, Joseph took his relationship with God seriously. He was “a just man,” who put God first. So when his virgin fiancée appeared to be defiled, he likely wished to quickly end the relationship, so as not to be involved with someone who would hold him back in his relationship with the Lord. It wasn’t about embarrassing her or reacting out of anger – “unwilling to put her to shame, [Joseph] resolved to divorce her quietly.” Of course, he didn’t know the whole story. But in faith, he acted to keep his faith in God pure and unhindered.

Soon, however, his faith was going to be stretched and broadened even more…

*Please note the change in the Scripture reference. I had it wrong on my original post regarding the daily passages.

 

Advent – Faith – Let It Be to Me According to Your Word

The Annunciation, as depicted by Henry Ossawa Taner (1898)

Luke 1:34-38 (ESV)

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”  And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God.  And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.”  And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”  And the angel departed from her.

As Mary’s mind (and heart) tried to wrap around this news, she was confused.  She didn’t doubt that all of this would take place (“how will this be”) but rather was curious as to how, since she was a virgin.  Her asking this doesn’t show a lack of faith but a lack of understanding.  So, as Gabriel filled her in – “the power of the Most High will overshadow you” – he also gave an example of God’s power – “Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived.”

Mary then stepped out in faith.  What a huge, exemplary step that was!  Surely she must have felt the weight of what was to come.  Surely she knew the snickers that would be muttered behind her back.  Surely she knew the accusations that would be made about her conduct and her character.  Nonetheless, in faith, she stepped out and said, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”  Oh to have a faith like that, a faith that surrenders our own reputation to the Lord and rests in his!