Devotional 12-23-22

Luke 2:1-20

During my childhood, our entire family would go to my grandparents’ house to eat, open presents, and spend time together on Christmas Eve. My grandparents would change the exact date and time depending on my mom’s church services that year; they loved and respected that she was a Pastor and never wanted her to feel rushed or overwhelmed. We were a pretty rowdy bunch, especially when all of the eleven grandchildren (myself included) were young. We would cram into the modest living room and kitchen area, shrieking and jumping around. It was my very favorite time of the year.

Before any presents were opened, my Papaw would take his Bible out. This was the only time that this bunch was quiet, but we managed to pull it off every year. He would read Luke 2:1-20 and then we would pray. In later years, after he was gone, my mom took over this duty. It is the one thing I can count on, no matter where I live or how old I get. Our group isn’t really the same anymore. We rarely are able to have everyone together in one space on any day. There are now great-grandchildren. Some, like my brother, have moved far away and don’t always get to make it home for the holidays. But Luke 2:1-20 is the constant. It always takes me right back to my Papaw’s living room, sharing in the warmth of the season with the ones I love the very most.

I’ve thought about change a lot lately. This Christmas will be the last one that my mother serves as a pastor of a church at. What will next year be like? Will it feel the same? I can always come back to Luke 2:1-20 for my answer. The people in the room with us might change, and the scenery might change, but the message is still the same. The comfort and the peace that this passage brings to me will always be there, ready for me to pick up. For that, I am thankful.

Prayer:  “In a world where worry, not peace, prevails, stir up that good news again. This Christmas, make it real in our hearts. Never have we needed Your joy and peace more than now. Thank You for the gift of Jesus, our Immanuel, the Word made flesh. Forgive us for forgetting—that Your love never changes, never fades, and that You never abandon the purpose for which You came: to save us from our sinful condition, and to give us life eternal, the joy of relationship with a holy God. Your birth—and Your death—sealed Your promise to us forever.”

Prayer by Rebecca Barlow Jordan

Lia Deane

Devotional 12-14-21

 Luke 1:46-55

Mary’s Song

And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
    for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

It is hard to imagine how Mary must have felt when she was chosen by God to become the mother of our Messiah. I imagine that – at least, in the beginning – she must have been a little fearful, startled, and confused. She was an unwed Jewish girl, and she could have been shamed and disgraced by society in this situation. But Mary’s Song, recorded in the verses above, shows the strong and steadfast woman. Any fears she had initially were replaced with hope, awe, and comfort. Her song delivered a message of hope and deliverance to a world that desperately needed it.

Our world in the present day desperately needs that hope, too. COVID times have not been easy for any of us. Many have lost loved ones, job security, relationships, routines, and their sense of peace – myself included. It is easy to look around and feel depressed, fearful, and fatigued. Instead of focusing on those racing, negative thoughts this Advent Season, we should strive to instead remember the promises that God has made and how much He loves us. As we hear Mary’s song, may our hearts fill with a renewed sense of hope, comfort, and peace.

Lia Deane