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46 And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news; 47 I'm dancing the song of my Savior God. 48 God took one good look at me, and look what happened - I'm the most fortunate woman on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten, 49 the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others. 50 His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him. 51 He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts. 52 He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. 53 The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold. 54 He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high. 55 It's exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to now. (Luke 1:46b-55 The Message)
A blessed and joyous Thursday be yours ConCafe Family! And may the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities you have been desiring come to you today, dear Friend! And may we both know just what to do with such; to change the world and maybe our world, too. We continue to pray for Kerry Morgan. Kerry and I are blessed to have the same doctor, who is a man of faith and strong Christian character. He replied to my asking of his condition, "God answers prayers." Amen, so, please dear people, continue to trust in the Lord and His power to make new, to restore, to repair whatever it is in need. Pray for more doctors like Dr. Commie Hisey, whose faith and commitment to God's compassion bless so many.
It hit me at this reading and as I write, just what this young woman was feeling at the news of her situation. After many years of reading and preaching on it, this version brought it all to life. It was like I was handed the special glasses at a 3D movie and the movie jumped out at me; the blurriness has disappeared and the full Technicolor beauty is before me. The first part of the message has been clear enough; God announced to this young woman what role she had been selected for her in the coming of the Messiah to the world. The presence and words of the archangel qualify as "God-news," a music of eternity that causes her spirit to dance the song of salvation coming in this birth. God searching the hearts of all women revealed to Him that this girl would be the one to birth God's Son, and she realizes that in saying, "I'm the most fortunate woman on earth!" Indeed. She would forever be a part of history, the story of God acting on behalf of the earth and using this maiden as His vessel. God's action set her apart from all other women, for the specialness and sacredness of this birth, as well as for the sorrow and sadness that would come to her later in her life. Yet, for now the emphasis is on the specialness and the sacred; God's mercy would be known and experienced much like the strength and power of the ocean to send wave after wave to the shore; and that same mercy would be the downfall of the tyrants and braggarts, and the salvation of those who are truly victims, buried deep in the mud of injustice and greed. The once starving poor would now be escorted and seated at a special table at a scrumptious banquet; peering from the outside looking in will be those who once slammed the door on the faces of those once hungry people; now destined to only imagine what goodness they were missing out on because of the selfish, self-serving decisions. God would embrace His only child, Israel. The mercies would not end there; they would be continually piled high upon another, God's mercies, fulfilling what was once promised by Him first to Abraham, and now in this action to this maiden, Mary. She experienced and rejoiced in what God showed to her.
That was a God-moment. It was filled with life and love, goodness and mercy, this scene where it was realized that yes, God is alive, and God is at work in our history. We are not a forgotten nor neglected people; we matter to God and because of that, God acted on our behalf through the sending of His only Son to come and do what He did, so that you and I could have life, and that to the fullest.
Christmas is so much more an act of eternity than a temporal season of tress, lights, and gifts. It is the realization of what God did to bring about our right relationship with Him. God offered life to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ. And to receive that life and love would involved our willingness to make our lives like those who love and desire to serve Jesus. A full life filled with Jesus leave no room for those things that bring sin and destruction to our lives. At this writing, I am also listening and helping my grandson with a writing assignment for school. It triggered a memory from my childhood of a television commercial by a cake company. I told him it was a simple commercial showing only a plate on which sat a delicious looking piece of cake. No actors, just the cake. Then a fork appeared held by a hand and that fork went right to the cake, cut a nice big piece and then went straight to the camera. Liam laughed when I told him that there was not a single kid in any room in any home in front of any tv screen that did not automatically open their mouth thinking that piece of cake was meant for them! It was very effectice and sold lots of boxes of cake mix and cans of frosting; much like the temptations that attack our vulnerable spots in life. It may be that our mouths get opened, or thoughts open our minds to wicked and evil desires; but for that very reason Jesus came to the world, so that we might fill our lives with Him instead of that which serves to steal, destroy and kill.
PRAYER: Loving God, as life may sometimes make us open our mouths or weak spots in anticipation of that which we believe may satisfy, fill us instead with Christ Jesus. Show us that our weaknesses become strengths when we allow Him to fill and guide us. Be glorified in us Lord Jesus we pray, in Thy name, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! May today be a "finally" day for you as you discover what is truly meaningful to you; then share it with someone in a way that makes them want what you have, and that being the Lord Jesus Himself.
Receive my blessings of love and joy,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
