Honest Reflections

Five-minute read.

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. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. 

Luke 2:15-20 

Mary treasured and pondered the events unfolding around them in her heart. As the shepherds came, praising and glorifying God after their encounter with the heavenly hosts, and all who heard their tale wondered in amazement, Mary meditated on the meaning of it all. One can only imagine the feelings she processed as she held the Savior in her arms, knowing He had a divine mission. 

A friend sent me the testimony of a mother that touched my heart.ⁱⁱⁱ  In it, the woman shared the story of her son’s birth. Alone, jobless, and pregnant, she contemplated having an abortion, even making the appointment. Three days before her scheduled procedure, she begged the Lord for guidance, not knowing what to do. When she went to work, a friend she hadn’t seen in years shared that God placed her on his heart, causing him to pray for her. And in that moment, Angela received a message from God:

“Angela, if I’ve put you on his heart, someone that hasn’t seen you in years, someone that doesn’t see you every day, I haven’t forgotten about you. I still see you. I still know what’s going on. I’m working…It was as if God was saying, “Angela, when Moses stood at the Red Sea, he had no idea how he would get across. All he had, his only option was Me. Angela this is your Red Sea, your only option right now is Me. If you just let Me work, let Me do something. I’ll get you and this baby across.” 

As Angela received this message and began to trust God, doors began to open. When Angela told her mom and sister, she discovered they already knew. At the same time, Angela cried out to God for help; the Holy Spirit prompted her mother to pray for her and the baby. The Lord parted the Red Sea and made a way for a young woman, unmarried, not knowing what to do but doing it for her. 

Just like God did for Mary when she became pregnant by divine intervention, when Joseph wanted to leave her, the Lord sent an angel with a message. When the inn had no room, God sheltered them. When the Savior entered the world, the Lord created a way for us to find our way home.

Treasure and ponder what God did, does, and will do for you. Ask Him for fresh eyes this holiday season to see how He has parted the Red Sea and made a way for you, whatever your circumstances. Let the Lord do His work in your life. Let Him get you across the Red Sea and give you the victory He has for you. Experience the joy of salvation and the miracle of life as you let the Lord do His work in you. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for parting the Red Sea for Mary and making a way for her to give birth to the Savior. Please help us turn to You in all things, trusting You for guidance when we don’t know what to do. Give us the faith to take the first step into the sea, knowing You will part the waters and carry us to the other side. 

IJNIP. Amen 

iii https://www.facebook.com/61551105053348/videos/555025137271163/?mibextid=KsPBc6&rdid=fXVBFjYpH5qS6PTa

Five-minute read.

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 shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths 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, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

Luke 2:8-14 

Shepherds represent the common person, ordinary people who joyfully received the Gospel and became leaders to others. Luke doesn’t tell us what time of year this took place, but when the angel appeared to them, he started his message with “Fear not.” Repeatedly throughout the scriptures, God tells us not to fear, trusting Him to deliver us from whatever troubles come upon us. 

When the Lord calls us to do something, it can feel intimidating. Often, we receive nudges from the Holy Spirit that go against the cultural norm. When salmon reproduce, they swim upstream to lay their eggs against the current. When I’m following the Lord, I often feel like a salmon battling the oncoming current. The world around me frequently disagrees with my stance, but I must decide: do I care more about what people or the Creator think? Once I make that decision, the rest falls in place. 

Following the angel’s directions led the shepherds to Jesus. Surrounded by a host from heaven, the men began their trek to meet the Savior, wrapped in swaddling in a manger. The heavenly host’s bold proclamation of the Gospel indicates the fulfillment of prophecies about the coming Messiah. “Suddenly” (vs.13), life changed for the shepherds. God often works the same way in our lives; something suddenly changes our course forever. 

Allowing the Lord to order our steps and take us on life’s journey that culminates with Him calling us to our home, will take us places we never imagined. Events will unfold that you could never manipulate. Conversations will occur that you could never imagine. Life change will take place one day at a time as God draws you deeper into your relationship with Him.  The more we learn to rely on the Savior, the more our faith will become more profound. Eventually, we learn that God’s way truly does have our best interest at heart and will help us live life to the fullest. 

Follow the Savior today. Allow Him to order your steps and direct your paths. Live life to the fullest as you submit your ways to the King of Kings, swaddled in a manger, waiting for you. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to rescue Your image bearers. Please give us sensitive spirits to Your prompting, allowing You to order our steps. As we continue to seek Jesus, let Him mold us for our purpose, living life for You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

Luke 2:1-7

Luke records the miraculous birth of Jesus in seven verses, 126 words detailing the Savior’s entrance into the world. After the long narrative in chapter one, the doctor keeps things brief as he writes about the event that changed the world and our calendar. BC stands for Before Christ, and AD stands for Anno Domini, Latin for 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, counting the years since Jesus’ birth. Somehow, I feel like the birth of the Savior should take more words to describe. Praise God for Jesus and His humble entrance into the world. 

Because of the census, Joseph took his family to Bethlehem to fulfill his civic duty. However, God had a divine purpose in the trip, fulfilling the prophecy about the birth of Jesus. Surrounded by animals, Mary gave birth to God’s Son. A few years ago, I joined a women’s group mainly comprised of young moms. Since I’ve never given birth, I found their tales of childbirth educational. Women have myriads of ways to give birth now, whether at home, with a midwife, in a hospital, or c-section versus natural; they plan how their child will enter the world. Mary didn’t have that luxury, nor did she have the aid of modern medicine. 

Childbirth often took the life of the mother in years gone by. Before modern conveniences, many women died while delivering new life to the world. Mary’s experience in an unsanitized environment with no one to help but her carpenter husband, who probably knew little about childbirth, doesn’t sound appealing.

But the Almighty had a plan and provided everything the young mother needed.   

“The ordinary became extraordinary,” my husband said. 

Reading a commentary, the author (unknown to me) pointed out to my husband that we wouldn’t have recognized the extraordinary things He did if Jesus had not come into the world in an ordinary way. The more Ron meditated on that thought, the more extraordinary it became to him. No one would have thought Him extraordinary if Jesus’s birth came through royal means. But because He entered the world in the lowest of circumstances, people recognized the divine differences Jesus lived. 

We take for granted the luxuries Joesph’s family didn’t have. Mary traveled on the back of a donkey, not in a comfortable car. Jesus didn’t have a maternity ward to care for Him after His birth. Mary didn’t get an epidural when the pain overwhelmed her. Clean sheets didn’t wrap around the Savior’s body, God only knows where the swaddling came from and its condition. If you’ve ever toured a barn, you know the smell of hay and the amount of dust that comes with it. And with 126 words, Luke describes it all. But if we place ourselves in the moment and imagine the circumstances, we realize the immenseness of the miracle. 

“…𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘸𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘯.” 𝘓𝘶𝘬𝘦 2:7

Make room for Jesus this holiday season. Let the ordinary become extraordinary as you follow the Savior.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the miraculous birth of Jesus and for Luke’s recording of the extraordinary event. As we move through our day, help us understand the magnitude of what happened that day long ago. Give us insight into the birth of the Savior we never saw before. Help us make room for Him in our hearts and souls as we tune our thoughts toward Him. 

IJNIP. Amen  

Five-minute read.

And Mary said, 

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. 
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 
for he who is mighty has done great things for me, 
and holy is his name. 
And 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 mighty from their thrones 
and exalted those of humble estate; 
he has filled the hungry with good things, 
and the rich he has sent away empty. 
He has helped his servant Israel, 
in remembrance of his mercy, 
as he spoke to our fathers, 
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” 

And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home. 

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 

Luke 1:46-58 

Mary’s song, called the Magnificat, praises God for choosing her to give birth to Jesus, highlights the Lord’s attributes (power, holiness, and mercy), exemplifies His sovereignty, and recalls the mercy He showed Israel. Jesus’s birth mother knew the Old Testament scripture, well versed in its writing, revealing her devout connection to the heavenly Father. Historians place Mary’s age around 13-14 years old when she carried the Savior within her womb. Young by today’s standards, typical for the culture of her day as people had much shorter life spans than now.

After praising the Lord, Mary indirectly acknowledges herself as a sinner in need of a Savior and her dependence on God. Elizabeth’s joy overflowed as she listened to Mary’s song. A young girl and an older woman, both pregnant with babies who would change the world. Can you imagine their awe and wonder as life grew inside them, both knowing divine intervention caused their pregnancies?

God moved in my life recently, ordering my steps and guiding me on a journey that helped me serve a friend. As I looked back on the event, awe and wonder filled my soul as the overwhelming presence of the Lord in my life filled me. Nothing I could have done could have orchestrated the moment that culminated after weeks of preparation. My faith grew more profound as I connected the dots of God’s guidance. Submitting my life becomes easier as I trust the Lord’s intimate involvement in my life, allowing Him to order my steps because I don’t doubt He has a better plan for me than anything I could ever imagine.

Nothing I’ve experienced compares to Mary. I can’t even imagine how she felt carrying the Savior in her belly, knowing the Lord chose her for the divine task. For nine months, He grew in her womb. How could she not overflow with praise for the Father? At the top of the list of miraculous births, Mary had an unfathomable experience we can only imagine.

Mary’s awe of the “Mighty One” reflects the Lord’s character. Humbling herself before God, Mary realizes her role in history’s storyline. Day by day, as Jesus grew in her belly, the young girl experienced God in a way no one else ever will. We can only imagine the mixture of emotions Mary felt as she fulfilled her God-given role. And we get to experience salvation through her Son. Jesus’s miraculous birth gives us access to miraculous living as we place our faith and trust in Him.

Prayer: 

Lord, we come to You in awe and wonder at the miracle of Jesus’s conception and birth. Praise God for Mary’s faith and obedience as she fulfilled her divine destiny. Please help us live fully in Christ today, experiencing His wonders as we allow You to order our steps.

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, 
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, 
the Spirit of counsel and might, 
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 

And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. 
He shall not judge by what his eyes see, 
or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 

but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, 
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; 
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, 
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, 
and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, 
and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, 
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; 
and a little child shall lead them. 
The cow and the bear shall graze; 
 their young shall lie down together; 
 and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, 
and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. 
They shall not hurt or destroy 
in all my holy mountain; 
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord 
 as the waters cover the sea. 

In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. 

Isaiah 11:1-10

Jesus, King of Kings and sovereign Lord came with a purpose that Isaiah prophesized 700 years before the Messiah’s birth. God’s Spirit upon Him, Christ came with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. Jesus knew His mission and connected to His heavenly Father, He respected God’s authority. Three-in-one, they work together. 

Marriage exemplifies the Trinity: God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, three in one. When I married Ron, committing my life to him before the Lord, we became a cord of three strands. 

“And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Ecclesiastes 4:12 

Single for 41 years, learning to submit to Ron takes work. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he tells wives they must submit to their husbands as they submit to the Lord. And He tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). To do those things, we must know and follow Jesus. But I can testify that submitting becomes much easier if Ron loves me like Christ loved the church.   

How do we follow Jesus? We acknowledge that our way doesn’t work and seek and find His will for our lives. As we learn how Christ responded to the world around Him, we do what He did. With God at the center of our marriage, Ron and I strive to put Him first and then actively do what the Lord’s word tells us. 

For instance, when I dish out dinner, giving Ron the more significant portion helps me remember to put his needs above mine. Thinking about how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet helps me metaphorically wash Ron’s. Without Christ at the center of our marriage, I wouldn’t know how to submit to Ron, and my husband wouldn’t know how to love me. We must constantly seek God’s will before our own and strive to do what pleases the Lord, not our fleshly desires. 

The Trinity becomes a reality in marriage when we strive to become one with Jesus and each other. Each part influences the others and works together to form one. Difficult to understand, the more we give our lives to Christ, the more He helps us become one with Him and the Father. 

Isaiah predicted Jesus’ birth centuries before it happened. The Messiah came, united with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, bringing salvation to the world. As we celebrate the Lord’s birth in the days ahead, ask God for a deeper understanding of the Trinity and how it applies to your life. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the prophet, Isaiah and his words that predicted the birth of Jesus. Thank You for the Messiah, who fulfilled all the prophecies about Him. Please help us better understand the Trinity as we seek You.   

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 

(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” 

John 1:19-34 

Telling our testimony gives a personal account of how Jesus changes lives. John tells his story, which points people to the coming Savior. We should have our testimony ready to share at any moment. Jesus used parables to share His teachings because they helped people understand the lessons. When we tell the story of our lives, we help people understand the life change that occurs when we admit our need for a Savior because of our sinful ways—and we all have sinful ways. 

Using these three simple steps, Before, How, and Since, I’ll share a recent testimony in my life: 

Before: Dealing with a neighborhood issue, I felt righteous anger, a grief over sin that arises when we witness an offense against God or His Word.ⁱ  My anger consumed me. I scheduled an emergency visit with my Christian therapist because I knew I needed help weeding through all the intense emotions I felt. 

How: During the therapy appointment, my therapist challenged me about my righteous anger, having me look at the other person’s perspective and recognize that I’m not a judge and jury. I place myself in God’s role when I condemn someone.

Expressing righteous anger should be a last resort, though, not a first. Even though, yes, Jesus flipped tables, he spent a great deal of his ministry turning the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-40).ⁱⁱ 

Since: I developed a new perspective on righteous anger, something I have struggled with my entire life. First, I realized I defined righteous anger incorrectly. Nothing this person did went against God or His word. They offended me, not God. Secondly, when I get on my “high horse,” I can stay there a long time. However, Jesus wouldn’t respond like I did, and I’m not Jesus. God will do the judging; He expects me to do the loving. To react like Jesus, I must connect to Him and submit my will to His, praying for my “enemy” and allowing the Lord to change my heart and attitude to align with His. God’s teaching me to turn the other cheek and become more like Jesus. 

God loves us in our mess but doesn’t leave us there. Telling our testimony and striving to become more like Jesus points people to the Savior and helps them discover what we have found in Christ. Share your story, tell people what Jesus has, and continues to do for you. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for giving us an example of how to tell our testimony through John. Please help us develop our story and how it connects with Jesus and the results of having a relationship with Him. Give us opportunities to share our testimony with others and introduce them to the Savior.   

IJNIP. Amen 

i, ii https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-does-the-bible-mean-by-righteous-anger.html

Five-minute read.

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 in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” 

And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. 

Luke 1:76-80 

Zechariah sings a song to the Lord, praising Him for salvation through Jesus and for his son, John’s role in the coming events. As a prophet of the Most High, John has a pivotal role in announcing Christ’s birth. Zechariah links John to Elijah, referring to Luke 1:17: and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers. What an amazing calling, announcing the arrival of the Savior, sent to redeem humanity from their sinful ways. 

John preaches a message of repentance, which requires recognition of and turning away from sin. Recently, someone asked me how I would respond to the question, “If someone was considering committing a sin and asked God for forgiveness for it before they committed the deed, would it still count?” 

“It doesn’t work that way. God does forgive our sins, but once we know something’s a sin, we’re not to do it. God does love us in our messes, but He doesn’t leave us there. Once we’re convicted something’s a sin, we’re not to do it anymore.”  My response seemed to satisfy the questioner, but I’ve continued thinking about it. 

Repentance requires a behavior change. Once we recognize sinful actions and ask the Lord for forgiveness, He expects us to stop doing it. God doesn’t give forgiveness for pre-meditated sin; it defeats the purpose of repentance. True turning away from sin starts with the realization that whatever the deed, it doesn’t align with God’s will or word. John made people aware of their need for salvation, and we learn of ours through scripture. The prophet grew up in the wilderness, becoming strong in spirit, meaning God grew his moral character to fulfill the mission. 

Preparing our hearts for Jesus means acknowledging our sinful nature. When we repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness, He does forgive. Only God truly knows the intentions of our hearts. We can’t see the inner workings of someone’s soul, but the Lord does. And He knows whether we come to Him with sincere regret. Others will know when they see the change in our lives as we leave the sinful behavior behind and strive to become more like the Savior, loving unconditionally, leading with grace and mercy, and honoring the Father in all we do. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for making us aware of our sinful nature and giving us a way out of it. Please search our hearts and illuminate any areas we haven’t given to You yet. Let us repent of our sinful ways and become more like Jesus as we seek and follow Him. In all things, let us honor and glorify You. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 

John 1:6-9 

Riding with my husband to Myrtle Beach, SC, for a work trip, we left early in the morning for the 6-hour drive and returned home that evening. Knowing the long hours in the car, I packed craft projects to occupy my time. In early November, we drove the last two hours in the dark. Watching the sunrise as we left, we watched it set as well. And as the light diminished, I could no longer see my work. As I hot glued decor onto the Christmas ornaments, I remembered the light the blue crafting gun had on it. Pressing the yellow button, light pierced the darkness, and I could see again.  

John came into the world to introduce the light of Jesus, speaking in terms we could understand; he awakened our need for a Savior. Just as the diminishing sunlight made me aware I needed help to see, John’s ministry opened people’s eyes to the darkness around them. Often, people don’t know they need a Savior until they flounder around in the dark, not knowing which way to go. John helped people find their way in the darkness by pointing them towards Jesus.  

One true light illuminates our world: Jesus. Through Christ, we find truth. As we follow the Lord, His Word and Spirit guide us. Like solar lamps along a walkway, following the Lord turns on the next lamp, just as we need it, to find our way. The more I allow Jesus to order my steps, the better my life becomes. Struggles occur, mountains rise in front of me, and pain still pierces my soul, but with God, I overcome them all as I submit to His will for my life, knowing all things work for the good of those who believe and trust in Him. 

God sent John into the world to bear witness to the light of Christ. Faithful throughout his earthly days, John served the Lord with his entire heart, mind, body, and soul. Although he suffered a tragic death at the hands of an executioner, John never wavered from his mission, fulfilling the Lord’s purpose for his life.  

Following Jesus starts with a decision to submit to Him. Each morning, we must decide who we will follow. As a gentleman, God doesn’t force His will upon us, but He does give us a light to follow. Choose Jesus today and every day. Let Him light your path with His one true light.  

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for lighting our world with Jesus. Praise God for the guidance You give us. As we seek You, illuminate our paths and order our steps. Let us faithfully serve You, one day at a time, honoring and glorifying You in all we do. When we flounder in the dark, help us find the lighted path. Protect us from our fleshly desires and keep us on the straight and narrow. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” 

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. 

After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” 

Luke 1:13-25 

Acknowledging Zechariah’s prayer, Gabriel answers him, naming the priest’s coming child, John, which indicates God’s sovereignty in choosing the child to serve the Lord. The angel tells Zechariah the details of John’s mission. The baby will bring joy and gladness to his parents and to many people as he shares the news of the coming Messiah. Filled with the Holy Spirit from birth, John helps people turn from their wicked ways back to the Lord, preparing them for Jesus’s arrival. Some people’s devotion to John will cause them to struggle following Jesus, but God’s servant points them to the Savior, not him. 

When Gabriel says John will drink no wine, he doesn’t want the effects of alcohol to control God’s messenger more than the Holy Spirit. Worldly influences can derail our calling. Coming from the priestly line, servants of the Lord didn’t partake of strong drink; required to abstain from it. John fulfills the role God assigned to him, letting the Holy Spirit guide and direct his ministry. 

Gabriel describes John’s ministry “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (v. 17), comparing it to the Old Testament prophet. Elijah’s prophecy pointed towards the future and end times. He appeared with Moses on the mountain when the transfiguration of Jesus occurred, and God declared Christ His Beloved Son. John’s role in promoting Jesus continues the prophecy of Elijah, turning hearts towards the Lord and eternal life with Him. 

Zechariah’s question in verse 18 reveals his doubt in fulfilling Gabriel’s words. Unlike Mary’s question, “How can this be?” (Luke 1:34), which came from faith, not doubt. The priest questioned the truth of the angel’s words and suffered the consequences. As a priest, Zechariah didn’t respond in faith but in doubt and spent Elizabeth’s pregnancy in silence. The Gospel requires faith; we will never have all the answers on this side of heaven, but the Lord expects us to believe and trust Him.  Doubting doesn’t cause God to stop loving us, but we may suffer consequences that build our faith in the long run. 

As this scene closes, the people outside the temple understand Zechariah had a vision. No one needed to tell them; the priest’s lack of speech and his signs confirmed what the people already knew. God had moved in Zechariah’s life, and it would impact everyone. But, as in all things, they must wait for the Messiah to come. Faith journeys take time; not everything happens at once, and in His infinite wisdom, all things come to fruition in God’s perfect timing. 

Preparing our hearts for the Savior means letting the Lord do His work in us. While Zechariah waited for the birth of his son and the ministry that would announce Jesus’s arrival, God continued to mold and shape the priest. The Lord does the same thing in us as we let Him guide and direct our steps, awaiting the return of His Son. One day, Jesus will call us home, and we will occupy the mansion He prepares for us. But until then, we journey with the Savior, one day at a time, allowing Him to mold us into His image. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the work You do in our lives through Jesus. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayers. Please help us respond in faith, not doubt. Let us turn our hearts towards You daily, listening for Your still small, whisper and fulfilling Your will for our lives. Help us honor and glorify You in all we do. 

IJNIP. Amen 

Five-minute read.

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. 

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 

Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 

Luke 1:1-12 

One of the four gospel writers, Luke, spent his life as a physician. With a scientific background, he wrote an orderly account of Jesus’s background. Starting with Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, focusing on the chronological things that happened. Scholars don’t know if Theophilus believed in Jesus, but he knew something of the faith. For some reason, Luke felt Theophilus needed reassurance of the truth, so the doctor wrote down the facts for the student. 

Zechariah, a priest, had Jewish roots. His wife, Elizabeth, also born into the priestly line, served the Lord beside her husband, supporting him in his duties. Childless, it brought sorrow to the couple and even shame. Well past the child-bearing age, Elizabeth lost hope of becoming a mother. Studying the angel’s appearance, we learn that only heavenly beings had the right to appear in the temple where Zechariah served. Indeed, a supernatural event, the angel came with news of Elizabeth’s pregnancy and deliverance of John the Baptist. 

“Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” 

Luke 1:13 

I can understand why Zechariah felt fear at the angel Gabriel’s appearance. Unfortunately, his fear had consequences. Because the priest doubted the Lord’s message, Gabriel told him, “you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place” (Luke 1:20). After receiving joyous news, Zechariah couldn’t tell the people outside the temple what happened, he could only use sign language to communicate. How frustrating for him. When the priest’s time of service ended, he went home to Elizabeth, and she conceived a child, just as Gabriel had said she would. Not until his birth did Zechariah speak again, his first words blessing God for the arrival of his son.  

A miraculous birth preceded the miraculous birth of Jesus. John’s entrance into the world prepared the people for the Savior’s arrival. What a privilege for John to spend his life preparing the way for Jesus. As Christ’s followers, we can introduce people to the Lord through our words and actions. Becoming more like Jesus and responding as He would instead of the world makes people take notice. The counter-cultural way the Messiah lived caused a stir among the crowds that followed Him.  Wherever Jesus went, people knew it. Some believed, some hated, some didn’t know what to think, but everyone who encountered Jesus had a reaction; He touched their lives. 

As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, consider how Jesus has changed your life. God finds us in our misery, pulls us from the darkness, and gives us hope. Each day, we can become more like Jesus as we give Him our hearts and honor Him with our lives. 

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the miracles of John the Baptist and Jesus. Please help us see the miracles that continue around us today. Let us live fully for You as we seek Your will in our daily lives. Give us divine tasks to complete this holiday season that will introduce people to Jesus and draw them to You. 

IJNIP. Amen