December 12 Jesus:
GOD’S GIFT OF FAITH
Message: Jesus: God’s Gift of Faith for the broken hearted.
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Bible Story: Luke 1:39-55 God’s Gift of Faith for Elizabeth gives Mary Heavenly encouragement!
Reflection:
I don’t know about you but when I am broken hearted, I want to hide. I’m low on courage to face the day or the people life would have me associate with.
Mary share with Joseph the exciting news of her pregnancy. How did Joseph receive this Good News? In Matthews Gospel it tells us that Joseph “decided to break the engagement” (Matthew 1:19). In Lukes Gospel we are told that after saying yes to God’s request, “a few days later Mary hurried to the hill country…” I am going to read between the lines and assume Mary was heart broken?
So often the exhilaration we experience with a revelation of the Goodness of God falls to the ground when we are confronted with the realities of the world we live in and the people we know. Mary I believe went from pure Heavenly adrenaline to heart break.
There were no texts to be sent to keep friends informed about your daily activities. But God has his ways. The moment Mary walks into Elizabeth’s house God shows up. A word of knowledge to Elizabeth brings faith to the broken hearted. In one single moment God affirms again Mary and the the baby through someone who wouldn’t even know that Mary was pregnant. Please see too that even Mary’s personal sense that she would be called “blessed” is affirmed in Elizabeth’s Holy Spirit inspired words. “God has blessed you above all women and your child is blessed!” It’s a gift of faith. God gave it. He gave it to Elizabeth. Who gave it to Mary. What did God give? Revelation about Jesus.
Broken hearted? Hurry to the people you know, love and trust. Let God use them in your life like God used Elizabeth. It’s God’s heart to give a gift of faith that will bring courage to the broken hearted. And just as Mary discovered, may it be just as true for us too.
Jesus is God’s gift of faith for the broken hearted.