READ
Luke 1:26-35
CONSIDER
Christmas is the season of joy as the Lord and the Savior Jesus Christ was born. In Luke chapter 1, there are two stories intertwined together before the first Christmas. Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, were both old and the scripture said Elizabeth was not able to conceive. However, angel Gabriel delivered a joyful news from God that their prayer was heard, and Elizabeth will bear a son. The other story is that angel Gabriel told Mary, a young virgin who was pledged to marry Joseph, that she will bear a son and the son will be the Son of the Most High and the Son of God.
I would encourage you to read these 2 stories together to find the commonalities and the differences before Christmas this year. When Luke put these 2 stories together, I believe he was trying to convey a crucial and joyful message from God before the first Christmas – God’s Promises will be fulfilled through His miracles, out of His mercy in His timing. Blessed are those people who are humble before God, fear Him, and believe Him.
Pastor Julian Wong
PRAY
Dear God, give me the humble heart and faith to believe you as your Word will never fail. During the Christmas season, remind me to remember your grace, mercy and your faithfulness towards me and my family. Give me the wisdom and courage to live the life of faith so that people around me would see the hope as I trust in my Lord Jesus Christ. No matter what I am going through now, may God give me faith to believe that God’s promises will be fulfilled through His miracles, out of His mercy and in His timing. In Jesus Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.
DIVING DEEPER
In life, there is a time of waiting in uncertainties and impossibilities. How do the stories in Luke 1 encourage us to navigate the situations we are facing today?
During the Christmas holidays, I encourage you to spend some time reading through the Gospels to reflect on following Jesus by learning from how Jesus lived in this world and the promises He made to us.