The Babe, The Son of Mary

December 17                                                                               The Third Sunday of Advent          

Scripture Reading
Read Luke 1:26-38 and reflect on the passage.

The people of God have been waiting for the fulfillment of the promise from Jeremiah 33 for 600 years. Mary is an engaged teenage girl living in a small town in the northern half of Israel. Her people are back from exile, but under Roman rule. Mary is visited by an angel who says, "Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus."

The birth of Christ shows us how unexpected the work of God can be. Imagine Mary's neighbors – watching her stomach grow, how could they have known that the town scandal was in fact the sovereign work of God? Trusting God can be difficult. We can't see the whole picture. God's work in our lives looks different than we expect. Mary learns lessons here that can transform the way we find hope in God. 

Rather than looking around and wondering if God is working, we can grow to trust that God is always faithfully at work redeeming His people. We can't always see or understand how God works, but we can pray with the hope of Mary's powerful prayer.

Consider all the promises from the Bible that God has given to us. As you think back on how God has fulfilled His promises, do you think of Him as predictable, unpredictable, or some of both? What opportunities are before you to trust God and his promises. If He is always faithfully at work redeeming His people, what does that look like for you?

Prayer

God, we praise You for Your incredible promise to Mary. Thank You for Jesus! Grow our trust in You for every part of our lives.

                                                                                                Aaron Thompson and David White