Daily Devotions

23 DECEMBER 2024

O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness, You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.

Isaiah 25: 1

READING: Luke 1: 26 – 38

It is difficult to imagine a young girl/woman being confronted with the life changing experience of becoming pregnant, by the Holy Spirit. Mary had this experience when the angel Gabriel told her that she had found favour with God and that He was with her. He gave her the message that she would be become pregnant and that her son would be called “the Son of God.” How amazing! Mary was disturbed by this message and she wondered what it all meant.

Advent is all about expecting and celebrating life, the promise of life, the beginning of new life, and the resultant gift of abundant life for all people.

Elizabeth and Mary, the Mothers of John the Baptist, and Jesus, experienced this wonderment of the revelation, this promise of new life and the knowledge that it was all God’s work, through His power and love. They did not know at that time what sort of life and future death their sons would both experience. The mystery of their lives was bound up with their faith in the Lord. The angel told Mary that, “nothing is impossible with God.”

I find Mary’s acceptance of the angel’s message quite amazing. She says,

“I am the Lord’s servant.” That is, I will do as I am told! And “May it be to me as you have said,” a complete acceptance of what is to happen.

God’s visitation of Mary, through the angel Gabriel is much more than a blessing for Mary, but it is a blessing which extends far beyond her and extends through the centuries to our lives today. When God surprises us with a visit today, it not only blesses us, but the lives of others as God works through us. Therefor we must rejoice in God’s surprising work in and through us.

PRAYER

We rejoice with Mary and Elizabeth and glorify our Lord for what He did and continues to do through us. Lord God what an awesome, grace-filled awareness You have given us through the lives of Mary and Elizabeth and their families. We thank you for the gift of their sons. May all praise be Yours, O Lord God. Amen.

24 DECEMBER 2024

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ----- Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2: 11 + 14

READING: Luke 2: 8 – 18

At this time we look at the different prophets who prophesied about the coming of God’s own Son into our world, as well as the different people to whom God directly reveal the news of the imminent birth of Jesus. Today I would like to think about the Shepherds. These rural, nomads, simple folk, young boys, and men who fended for themselves while they looked after their sheep. They would have lived, ate alongside of them, walked, and slept with them. They would have protected them with their lives. They would have experienced all kinds of weather, stars, the moon, and the sun. They had to fight off thieves and vicious animals. They saw the creation at its most basic, and most beautiful. The shepherds knew their sheep individually and they knew their shepherd and his voice. They would only follow his calling. It was to these caring, simple , ordinary people God chose to reveal to them the Great Message in such a beautiful, simple, and majestic way. It must have been an awesome and somewhat frightening experience. But the Angel Gabriel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people” vs 10. He told them of the birth of a baby in Bethlehem who would be the Messiah, the Christ and Saviour of the world. The amazing thing was that they responded immediately! And went into Bethlehem, where they found the baby and worshipped Him. After seeing the baby, the Bible tells us that they spread the Good News. Another reason this revelation was so important is that we find many references throughout the Bible about the Shepherd. The twenty third Psalm is an example, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Jesus said He was the Good Shepherd and the gate to the fold. The sheep would know His voice. John 10 : 3 – 4. He said ,” I am the good shepherd ; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10 : 14 – 15

PRAYER

Silent night, holy night: shepherds quake at the sight; glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing, Alleluia; Christ the Saviour is born, Christ the Saviour is Born.” (from The beautiful carol “Silent Night”) Lord Jesus, may we too this Christmas experience the glory and wonder of the heavenly hosts and receive a renew Your revelation of Your love. Amen

25 DECEMBER 2024

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light Isaiah 9: 2

READING: Luke 2: 1-20

The shepherds in the nativity story are the first sign we see in Jesus' life that alludes to His ultimate job as Shepherd and reason for coming down from heaven (John 10:14-15)

In the Bible, shepherds are used to represent leaders of God’s people (Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 23:2). King David wrote “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”, long before Jesus walked the earth. He sensed in part, back then, what we know now: Jesus is the Good Shepherd. A shepherd would watch over and protect the sheep, feed and water, and live with the sheep.

Children would usually watch the sheep at night, so if adult shepherds were ‘keeping watch’ it was likely lambing season. Rabbinic sources, according to Paul H. Wright, indicate that certain fields southeast of Bethlehem were reserved as places where animals that were intended for temple sacrifice were raised. John the Baptist called Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and it is a lovely thought, although not able to be proven, that the shepherds were out watching their flocks by night waiting for the sacrificial lambs to be born at the same time as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb was born in Bethlehem.

In first-century Judea, shepherds were generally considered unclean because of all that would be associated with daily close contact with sheep. Often treated as outsiders, forbidden to testify in a court of law, shepherds were almost never clean enough to worship in the temple.

Luke never tells us the shepherds' names, nor how many went to worship the birth of Jesus.

Yet, that's how God works: He uses the humble to teach the proud (1 Corinthians 1:27). This message is all about God’s grace to those who may be considered unimportant, unclean, nobodies. It’s all about what God has done and not what we do.

The shepherds’ humble status, immediate obedience to the angelic message, belief in what they saw in the stable, and the way they set out to tell others, tell us of God's inclusivity and His ability to use anyone to fulfil His divine plans. These ‘ordinary’ individuals were chosen to witness the extraordinary - their story is a timeless symbol of hope, faith, and obedience.

PRAYER

Lord God, may we have the meekness of the shepherds, their unwavering belief, their joy, and their desire to spread the Good News. Use us, O Lord, we pray. Amen.

26 DECEMBER 2024

Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” Luke 1: 46

READING: Luke 1: 35 – 45

We believe as Christians that our faith is rooted in the ongoing story of God’s faithfulness and love for His people.

In the above scripture reading we read about the first two woman of the New Testament, Mary and Elizabeth. They are cousins, Elizabeth the older of the two, who has been unable to fall pregnant until now. Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist. They are the first to know about the unbelievable and amazing plan of God. They both cry out in songs of praise. Following the above passage is Mary’s song of praise, “The Magnificat.”

They both speak of the nature of God and the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in the form of a human being. They both know deep down in their hearts the truth of what God has done for them. Not only that, but they also recognize the life which has been created by the power of God within the other. They then share in the joy of the anticipation of what is to come.

Their faith and recognition of what God has done is a constant reminder to us of what He has done.

PRAYER

Emmanuel, God with us, we praise You for promising that You will never leave us, nor forsake us. You are our Father, our Guide, and our Saviour. Father, we praise You for fulfilling Your promises through the prophets, by sending Jesus Christ Your Son, to be our Redeemer who by His life revealed to us what You are like and by His example showed us how we should live our lives. We thank You for the gift of Your love and peace, which is beyond our understanding. We thank You and praise You for Mary and Elizabeth, who recognized Your work in and through them. We will give You praise and glory for as long as we live. Amen