"You Will Conceive and Bear a Son"

Luke 1.31-33

 

And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.³²He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

                                                                                

Today’s devotional from Adam Hamilton explores when Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel and how he describes in part of who exactly this child will be.  I am reminded of the song “I Celebrate the Day” by Reliant K that poses this question within the song:

“And the first time that You opened Your eyes did You realize that You would be my Savior?
And the first breath that left Your lips Did You know that it would change this world forever?”

How much did Mary, Joseph, and even Jesus know that his birth would change everything? Each Christmas season I am invited to rediscover this amazing gift that God has given to all of us and how we too are called as Christians to respond to that gift each and every day of our lives. But what happens when Christmas passes and we put back all the decorations and return to the usual? This is the challenge that faces us, a challenge to bear witness to Jesus’ effect on our lives. I am reminded of such a story. A gentleman, who was moved by the Christmas season, made a New Year’s resolution that he would be more like Christ in his life. Monday morning came and he was running late for his train. As he was running to make his train he did not see the boy who was a holding a brand new puzzle he received for Christmas. As he ran into the boy, the puzzle and all 100 pieces went flying everywhere. He apologized and started moving past the boy to catch the train, but he remembered his promise he made and so turned around to help the boy to retrieve the puzzle pieces. The boy stood there while the gentleman returned the puzzle box to him. The boy asked him, “Are you Jesus, mister?” At that moment he was. This season let’s remember the words of the angel Gabriel that Jesus has ushered in a new reign and we are called love and care for that which Jesus loves.

Rocky Dwyer, Director of Youth Ministries