The Voice

Luke 1:5-7

It's Christmas time...time to reflect on why we celebrate Christmas. As with many believers, my reflections brought me to the bible and the accounts of the the birth of Jesus. I was reading from Luke's gospel.

Some things in Luke's account got my attention. I've read it before, but this time, as the Holy Spirit does, I was drawn to the story of John the Baptist's parents.

John's dad, Zacharias, was a priest (Luke 1:5 and 1 Chronicles 24). While Zacharias was performing his duties, he walked in where the alter of incense was, there was someone standing there. Some translations of the bible say that Zacharias was gripped with fear (Luke 1:12 NASB).

I used my imagination here. I tried to set the scene as best I could. Here was a priest, a righteous, unassuming man. It's his day to perform the priestly duties as prescribed by Aaron. He walks into the part of the temple where the alter is. Nobody is supposed to be there except the priest. Now, I don't know how well lit the temple was back then. In my imagination, things were kind of dim. Zacharias walks in, and here's this very large figure. Someone standing where no one is supposed to be. Were it me, I would be thinking this can't be good. I don't blame Zacharias for being afraid.

It's an angel. Not just any angel. God sent Gabriel (Luke 1:19).

Gabriel told Zacharias that he was going to have a son, and that he was to be named John. He told him who John would grow up to be.

Zacharias and his wife were older and had no children (Luke 1:7). It struck me that they had this in common with Abraham and Sarah, who asked a similar question (Genesis 17:17).

Gabriel said that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in the womb (Luke 1:15). Wow!

Fast forward to after Joseph and Mary get the news about Jesus, and Mary goes to stay with her cousin Elizabeth. When Mary greets Elizabeth, John leaps in the womb (Luke 1:41)!

This to me was an amazing part of the Christmas story that we often leave out. The part about The Voice(Isaiah 40:3)

God is AWESOME!

Tis The Season

Psalm 73

It's the Christmas season again. Seems to come faster every year.

It's usually this time of year that unbelievers seem to go out of their way more than usual to offend Christians.

It has been a source of frustration for me that would at times drive me to anger. Until recently, that is.

I've been pondering a Psalm by Asaph. He wrote Psalm 73. Asaph said something in Psalm 73 that caught my imagination. Maybe the Holy Spirit has been teaching me something about the Christmas spirit.

Asaph had been talking about the wicked and how they always seem to prosper without any consequences for their actions. In Psalm 73:16-17, God taught him a profound lesson.

The more I pondered what Asaph wrote, the less offended I felt at the unbelievers and the more sorry I felt for them. Unless they turn to Christ Jesus, they will move toward a fate that I wouldn't wish on anyone (Job 27:8).

Those who refuse to believe and openly curse God and His Christ have horrible things waiting for them (Jeremiah 23:12). Christ Jesus holds out hope to them and we are the ones who are supposed to be pointing the way to His outstretched hand.

Some will angrily slap His hand away. They will refuse to turn to Him. I feel afraid for them (1 Thessalonians 5:3 and 2 Thessalonians 1:9).

God showed Asaph their end, and it made him shutter when he understood (Psalm 73:21-22).

Thank You, Father, for teaching that I should love my enemies and bless those who curse me. Thank You for showing me why.

God is AWESOME!