Grace

wpid-20140314_113229-1.jpgFor the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14, NRSV)

Grace has appeared!

He has brought salvation with Him!

The baby in the manger has brought us salvation and grace, and He will show us through His life how to renounce impiety and worldly passions. He will teach us to love God and to follow the commandments. Not the letter of the Law, but the meaning of what God intended for our lives.

To live lives that show the love that God has for all of creation.

As we await His return, let us follow His example and live by grace!

witnesses

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and 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 heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:8-20, NRSV)

The shepherds in Jesus’ day were the poor people. They were the lowest of the low, and God chose them. He chose them to see the messiah, Jesus Christ. God didn’t call any celebrities. He didn’t call any stars. He didn’t call any kings (except the wise men, but that’s a different story). He called the shepherds; the lowest of the low to come celebrate the birth of the King of Kings. Come celebrate with the shepherds, and rejoice that Jesus was born to the lowly for the lowly. Come celebrate on the ground with the lowly, and sing the praise that you are the lowly. The lowly were chosen because they were so far down, all they could do was look up. Get down off your high horse, and see that you are the lowly. You don’t have to be ashamed; just see that you are lowly, and you are beautiful. JUST LIKE THE SHEPHERDS!

(This devotional was written by my oldest daughter. This makes a father proud!)

No place…

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7, NRSV)

We all know this story. The one of our Savior born in a manger because there was no room for the family in the Inn.

We all assume it was because Joseph was a typical man who assumed he could get a room and did not make reservations.

Or that they were so late because as we all know traveling with a woman who is 9 months pregnant is not always the quickest undertaking…

But the thing we fail to notice or see is that Bethlehem was the town of Joseph’s family. That is why he had to go there. So the Inn they were turned away from was more than likely a family home that didn’t want the disgrace of having the baby born that would not have been Joseph’s…

And isn’t this really the truth today?

Do we really have room for the in breaking of the Kingdom of God?

To allow God to have control and a space in our lives is scary. To say He is totally welcome to come and do with our lives as He wishes, is scary.

Are we really ready for the baby that is to be born this night?

Do you really have a place for Him?

History brought to life

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel. (Luke 1:67-80, NRSV)

The oath the blessed Lord swore to Abraham has been remembered and is being shown forth here today!

What a wonderful gift to see that the promises we have been told and hold dear are things we can truly rely on!

God has sent His messenger to prepare the way for the coming King!

Light will break forth in the darkness and we will have a path set before us and a guide for our feet in this world!

The spirit will lead John the Baptist and us on our journey with God as we see history in the promises of God brought to life in the baby in the manger!

Sing to the Lord!

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” (Luke 1:46-55, NRSV)

Mary sings to the glory of the Lord!

There are many reasons why Mary shouldn’t be singing.

She is a young woman who is having the baby that does not belong to her husband. This would make her an outcast and estrange her from her family.

She though looks beyond the trouble of the day to the brightness of the coming future. She sees through the eyes of the Lord to the coming victory!

And because of this she can sing!

And she sings like Hannah sang, and shows us how to sing to the Lord.

Even when it seems we have no reason to sing, the Lord is reason enough!