It is the third week of Advent and I am still singing, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come.”
As we continue to move toward Christmas, let’s take a moment to prepare our hearts and minds for the birth of Jesus and the coming of our Lord and Savior. Some like to do this through prayer, scripture or song. Today, we are going to try all three.
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“Come, Lord Jesus, Come and save us.”
” In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”
“The Lord is with you.”
Have you ever been troubled by some recent news you might have received? What if that news came to you by way of a divine messenger?
In Luke Chapter 1, we see young Mary, “greatly troubled” at the angels words. She has just been called “highly favored.” Her mind must have been racing. I am not sure how she could comprehend what was happening, much less, what was being said. By the end of heavenly exchange, she is told she would give birth to a king. But not any king, The King of the Most High.
What a word to receive from God!
The last thing the angel said to Mary was, “For no word from God will ever fail.” And Mary’s response is, “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
My older NIV version of verse 37 reads, “For nothing is impossible with God.” However, as I studied this text, I was surprised to read it as, “For no word from God will ever fail.” The significance here is, “If God says it, God will do it!” Mary needed to know this and so do we!
There is another important part here. Mary’s response, “May your word to me be fulfilled.” She accepts the word, receiving it. I have to believe her acceptance is what fulfills it. This shows us, our response to God’s Word is important.
God knew Mary’s heart, that is why He chose her. God can obviously work even when we are unwilling. However, when we open ourselves up to God, and believe the impossible, this is where miracles happen. This is our faith in action.
Hebrews says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Believe it. Accept it. Receive it.
Today is the day to accept everything God has for you. Just as advent reminds us to prepare ourselves for the baby about to be born in the manger, Advent is a time to prepare for Christ to come into our lives. Let the words, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come” be our song and our prayer. May we receive Him into our lives today. In Jesus name, Amen.
P.S. if you missed the last two Advent blogs, here they are;
Advent: “Come, Lord Jesus, Come”
Advent: Part 2: Come, Lord Jesus Come
In the first one, I introduced my Christmas Bucket list. Last Sunday night, we did a drive-thru Live Nativity, where I heard the Christmas story read aloud and they sang Christmas carols. What is something you could do with friends or family to draw you closer to Jesus this holiday season? Leave me a comment below and let me know. Forward this message to a friend and ask them to subscribe to my website, Post this message on Facebook and tag me in it. And until next time, do the things that matter! -M
