Daily devotion – Tuesday 30th November 2021
Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
There had been 400 years of silence from Heaven and God’s people. Then suddenly, God broke His silence, not through a prophet but through an angel. The angel Gabriel sought out a young virgin in a little village called Nazareth. What a message he brought to her young heart.
Firstly, she would have a Child, a Son, even though she had not been with a man. This child was to be named Jesus, indicating that He would be given a saving mission!
Secondly, this Child would be great, for He would be given a further and more elaborate name, the Son of the Most High. Young Mary would not have understood this as meaning what we mean when we call Jesus the Son of God but rather that He would be the Messiah, since Son of God was a known messianic title – Psalm 2:7-8 “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
Thirdly, this Child Jesus, would reign over Israel forever. In fact His kingdom would never end.
Savior, Son, and King, were the three titles that the angel Gabriel told Mary to give Him.
Think how this young girl must have felt that night in little Nazareth face to face with an angel speaking such amazing things to her about a child she would have – and she was a virgin.
No wonder Mary was “greatly troubled” verse 29…even completely mystified by Gabriel’s message that night! So young Mary asked what all this meant?
Listen to Gabriel’s amazing reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon 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…For nothing is impossible with God.” Verse 35-37.
Many people say Christianity is boring, that following Jesus is dull. What would be Mary’s response you think to such a statement?
I believe so many Church goers who simply attend, truly have no idea of the glory, the power, the majesty, the excitement, the joy, the love that a true follower of Christ experiences everyday of their new lives walking with the Lord.
How about you? Are you in touch with the God of the impossible? Do you know His plan for your life? My prayer for you this week is for God to open your eyes and see what Paul, John and each of the disciples saw in this babe born in a manger by the name of Jesus.