December 10 | Luke 1:67-79

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DAILY READING

Luke 1:67-79

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REFLECTION

Zechariah's Song

by Elaine Pierce

John the Baptist's father, Zechariah, had been unable to speak ever since he questioned the angel's news that he and Elizabeth would have a baby in their old age. Eight days after the baby's birth, at the time for him to be circumcised, Zechariah and Elizabeth surprised everyone - all their family and friends - by declaring that their son's name would be John. It was customary to name the firstborn son after his father. Zechariah's speech was immediately restored, and his first words are what we are reading today. They commonly referred to these verses as 'Zechariah's Song.' Next week we read Mary's Song, the words of praise she spoke after the angel revealed she would be the mother of the Christ child.

Zechariah's Song is filled with praise to God, for what he has done in the past for the people of Israel (vs. 68-75) and what he will do in the future through his son (vs. 76-79). God has rescued the people from their enemies. He has shown them mercy. He has brought salvation through King David.

And what will John the Baptist do? He will prepare the way for Christ. How will he do that? He will remind people of their need for forgiveness "because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." (v. 78-79)

And we know John did just that. He prepared the way, and he paid the price with his life. Thinking about how John died as we prepare for Jesus' birth is not something I do every Advent season, but it is a reminder that God works in ways that we often don't understand. John's father reminds us that God's mercies are tender, and the final result for those who follow Jesus will be eternal life. Yes, this world may not bring peace, but the path of true peace transcends the time we are allotted on this earth. What joy we will have when we greet those who have gone before us, and have all eternity to sing God's praises!

Yes, John prepared the way. As we continue in this Advent season of watching and waiting for the Savior's birth, take time to read Zechariah's words and offer praise to the God of the universe, who came to earth as a baby, who loves us more than we can ever fully comprehend.

PRAYER

Lord, thank you for these words of comfort, of encouragement, and of mercy. Help me this week in the midst of the busyness of buying presents, decorating, and baking, that you would remind me of your tender mercies. Help me to shine a light for those in darkness and to guide my feet to the path of peace. Amen.

December 9| Colossians 1:15-23

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DAILY READING

Colossians 1:15-23

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REFLECTION

Perfectly Pleasing

by Mary Alice McGinnis

Is there a person in your life that you really want to please? Maybe it is a boss, a parent, or a spouse. Have you noticed that when you please them how good it feels, at least for the moment. Then quickly the angst of “what do I need to do next to please them” comes haunting.

Have you ever thought about what pleases God? Maybe what comes to mind is, I might please God if I am more kind. Maybe He will be pleased if I pray and read my Bible more. Maybe if I am generous and give more of my earthly things to those less fortunate. Maybe if I try harder to keep the 10 commandments. How much goodness and kindness is enough? How much prayer or sacrifice will it take to gain God's favor? How close can I get to being perfect will it take to be enough?

Today’s reading begins with “The Son (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God.” The fact that God is invisible creates a problem for us. In our humanness, the vastness of the All Powerful, Supreme God is beyond our ability to physically see and He is far bigger than our tiny little minds can fathom. God is so far above us, so superior, so pure, so vast, He is unknowable. How could we ever hope to know what pleases someone we have never seen?

The answer – Jesus! And that is not just a flippant “Sunday School” answer. Jesus, the Son of God, the Supreme ruler of all, took on our flesh to make God visible to us so we could know Him. This Jesus, who was with the Father when He created “all things in heaven and earth” came to walk among us.

This next phrase stuns me as I ponder it:

“For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him . . .”

God poured ALL His fullness – a double superlative – ALL His complete deity and abundance – into a tiny package. Into a helpless baby wrapped in tattered clothes, lying in a bed of straw in a cold stable.

And this PLEASED GOD!!

Isaiah 53:10 says: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief.”

Why? Because we not only have been unable to know God or please God, but we have also been estranged from Him, alienated. What’s more, on our own we are hostile to God. We want to do things our own way. By nature, we are rebellious children.

By Jesus taking on our flesh and ALL of God’s fullness taking up permanent residence in Him, He gave us the greatest gift. When Jesus was bruised and suffered on the cross, His took on Himself all that grieved God. He bore all the things that are wrong with this world, from the beginning of time until the end. He bore the weight of the wrongs of Adam and Eve, Hitler, and all people throughout history. Including those who have wronged me. And right there on that cross next to the sins of all others are all my massive, grievous ways I have displeased God. He took on His physical body all that we deserve.

Jesus was bruised and put to grief for all the things that are wrong with us, all the ways we have displeased God. In exchange, Jesus bestowed on us all the ways He thoroughly and completely pleased God. God the Father used Jesus, with Whom He was well pleased, to “reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.”

This is God’s greatest pleasure. It brings Him great joy. When He looks at us through Jesus, now He only sees us, His beloved children, washed clean, made right, and perfectly pleasing to Him.

PRAYER

How can I ever thank You enough for all You have done for me? You chose to be shamed, stripped naked, punished even unto death so that in exchange You could grant me all the favor of God that You deserve. Thank You for bringing me back into perfect peace with God. Thank You for the gift of knowing I am pleasing in God's sight, not by anything I have done, but ONLY by what You have done for me.

December 8 | Hebrews 1:1-6

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DAILY READING

Hebrews 1:1-6

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REFLECTION

Straight to the Source

by Jennifer Jerrome

Advent prepares us for the coming of Christ, who is God made flesh. He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word (v. 3). The Son IS the Father. And because Jesus is God, he therefore is superior to everyone and everything, including the angels.

Throughout the Bible, God uses angels to bring important messages to his people – Abraham and Sarah, Zechariah, Mary and Joseph and the shepherds, to name a few. The word “angel” means messenger of God. But the angels were not created in His image, and they were not called “Son.”

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Colossians 1:19). And since Jesus is God, who better to bring God’s message than God himself.

In addition to angels, God uses prophets as proclaimers of His will. In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (v. 1-2).

When God uses angels or prophets, he must give them the message he wants to relay. One of the many benefits of Jesus as messenger is that He already knows the message, because He IS the message. He IS the Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). The Word became flesh in Jesus.

He knows God’s plan because He IS the plan. God essentially removes the middleman and gives his people direct access to Himself.

God still uses other people to share his story, but through Jesus we can go right to the source. The source of all love and light. His message is for anyone who seeks a relationship with Him.

PRAYER

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to bring us what we so desperately need - YOU. May we rejoice in this time of waiting. You are the best gift we could ever receive. May we recognize the need to put you at the top of our “wish” list, not only at Christmas, but all throughout the year. Amen