You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said. Luke 1:45
As I write it is but one week until a new year will begin; yes it is Christmas Eve and I have been reading again the story of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This evening I watched the Carols by Candlelight on TV, an annual institution in Melbourne for the past very many years, and a delightful way to spend Christmas Eve………even if I was doing ironing while I watched!
It was in reading the verse above that my heart was stirred afresh by Mary’s simple trust and humble obedience. We have heard and read the story so many times that the full impact can easily pass us by, but as I think again on the story I am challenged afresh to examine my faith and see how real it really is.
Mary was a very young woman who received an amazing visitation from the angel Gabriel which was awesome in itself, but the message Gabriel brought was earth-changing, not to mention life-changing for Mary and Joseph. What an amazing faith-filled couple this was. I guess God knew that when he chose them for ‘the job’. Mary’s immediate response was “Yes, I’ll do it.” She actually believed that God would do what he said, as her cousin Elizabeth reminded her a few days later.
Then there was Joseph. He had a problem on his hands but God spoke to him in a dream (Matthew 1:20) reassuring him that Mary’s child was the promised Saviour of mankind and not to be afraid to go ahead with his marriage to Mary. Just as Mary did, Joseph believed and quickly obeyed the instructions he was given. In fact God spoke to Joseph in dreams a few times and he was always quick to believe and obey.
Many years ago God spoke to me in a dream. It took me a little while to realise that God was indeed speaking into my future, but he did do what was indicated in that dream.
Sometimes I sense that as I grow older in years and in my faith, I am not always as quick to believe God as I was in my earlier years. I am challenged by the fresh faith of some of my Bible study ladies who are mostly new Christians. Tonight I feel that I need to challenge myself afresh to believe God in the coming year. Not only to believe, but to actively expect to hear from him. (I know I don’t always listen well.)
How is it with you? Has God spoken something to you that you need to believe him to do? There is much to be done in his kingdom. We need to become willing to allow him to use us to accomplish his purposes. Let’s commit ourselves to a refreshing of our faith and obedience as we head toward 2011.
Prayer: Gracious Father, forgive me to allowing my faith to wane in the busyness of life. Help my ear to be ready to hear you when you speak and give me a willing heart to obey you quickly. Amen
As I write it is but one week until a new year will begin; yes it is Christmas Eve and I have been reading again the story of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This evening I watched the Carols by Candlelight on TV, an annual institution in Melbourne for the past very many years, and a delightful way to spend Christmas Eve………even if I was doing ironing while I watched!
It was in reading the verse above that my heart was stirred afresh by Mary’s simple trust and humble obedience. We have heard and read the story so many times that the full impact can easily pass us by, but as I think again on the story I am challenged afresh to examine my faith and see how real it really is.
Mary was a very young woman who received an amazing visitation from the angel Gabriel which was awesome in itself, but the message Gabriel brought was earth-changing, not to mention life-changing for Mary and Joseph. What an amazing faith-filled couple this was. I guess God knew that when he chose them for ‘the job’. Mary’s immediate response was “Yes, I’ll do it.” She actually believed that God would do what he said, as her cousin Elizabeth reminded her a few days later.
Then there was Joseph. He had a problem on his hands but God spoke to him in a dream (Matthew 1:20) reassuring him that Mary’s child was the promised Saviour of mankind and not to be afraid to go ahead with his marriage to Mary. Just as Mary did, Joseph believed and quickly obeyed the instructions he was given. In fact God spoke to Joseph in dreams a few times and he was always quick to believe and obey.
Many years ago God spoke to me in a dream. It took me a little while to realise that God was indeed speaking into my future, but he did do what was indicated in that dream.
Sometimes I sense that as I grow older in years and in my faith, I am not always as quick to believe God as I was in my earlier years. I am challenged by the fresh faith of some of my Bible study ladies who are mostly new Christians. Tonight I feel that I need to challenge myself afresh to believe God in the coming year. Not only to believe, but to actively expect to hear from him. (I know I don’t always listen well.)
How is it with you? Has God spoken something to you that you need to believe him to do? There is much to be done in his kingdom. We need to become willing to allow him to use us to accomplish his purposes. Let’s commit ourselves to a refreshing of our faith and obedience as we head toward 2011.
Prayer: Gracious Father, forgive me to allowing my faith to wane in the busyness of life. Help my ear to be ready to hear you when you speak and give me a willing heart to obey you quickly. Amen
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