A COMMON NAME WITH A NEW MEANING

And at the end of eight days ... He was called Jesus
 ... (Luke 2:21).

New Year's Eve was exciting when I was a kid. We
say goodbye to the old and ring in the new. With each
New Year came all kinds of exciting opportunities,
hopes and dreams.

Jesus has now reached the age of eight days and
something new is about to happen. Every Israelite boy
who reached the age of eight days was required to be
circumcised and receive his name. As we saw earlier
in the naming of Zechariah and Elizabeth's son John,
names were important to the people of Israel.
Mary and Joseph have already been told the Name that
God has given for His Son. So in obedience they gave
Mary's Child the Name of Jesus. It was a common
name at the time. It means "The Lord is salvation" or "
The Lord saves." In the Old Testament the names
Joshua and Hosea are variants of the name Jesus.
Every other Israelite boy carrying this name in effect
reminded people to turn their attention to God, who is
their salvation.

In the case of Mary's Son it was completely different,
however. In His case the Name pointed to Himself as
Lord -- the One who is now present to save His people
from their sins. Many years from now His enemies will
hurl His Name back at Him in mockery, as He hangs
on the cross: "He saved others; He cannot save
Himself. He trusts in God, let God deliver Him now, if
He desires Him. For He said, 'I am the Son of God'"
(Matthew 27:42-43).

But there on the cross Jesus was fulfilling His Name --
the Lord saving His people from death and hell by
suffering for their sins.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You truly are the Lord who saves His
people. Receive our thanks for being the Savior Your
name said You would be. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

THE GREAT SEARCH

(The shepherds said) "Let us go over to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has happened, which the
Lord has made known to us" (Luke 2:15b).
Read Luke 2:15-20.

This is about the time we started running dangerously
low on Christmas cookies. I always hated getting to
the bottom of the "animal cookies." I'm not sure why
we called them that, since we used all kinds of different
shapes: trees, bells, etc. But I would definitely leave all
the others behind in my search for that one last animal
cookie.

The shepherds had the same feeling about the Christ
Child. After the angel army returns to heaven, the
shepherds immediately talk it over and decide to leave
their flocks behind in search of the Christ Child.

They go to Bethlehem and search until they find Him
wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger -- just
as the angel had said. How incredible was it to look down
into the face of the mighty Son of God? The shepherds
share the angel's words with Mary and Joseph and every
person they meet. All who hear their words are amazed,
but Mary stores up their words and ponders them deep
inside.

What the shepherds did in one night, we spend our
lifetimes doing. We learn of our Savior in the Bible. We
then spend the rest of our lives looking forward to the
moment when we will gaze upon His glorious face -- just
like they did. Because of His life, death and resurrection,
we will be able to remain in His wonderful presence forever.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, the shepherds left their flocks behind to find
you. Give me that same excitement that I may leave
everything to walk with You through life until I meet
You face to face. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

ANGEL ARMIES

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host ... (Luke 2:13a).      Read Luke 2:13-14.

One of my favorite Christmas presents was my army men.
Those little, green guys could go anywhere. One of the best
places was in my younger brother's toy parking garage
(remember that big box I claimed as mine?). The soldiers
with flame throwers and bazookas were pretty easy to hit.
But no matter how you threw the Lincoln Log bombs, you
could never pick off the sniper hiding in the elevator. Having
control of that army was amazing.

The shepherds saw an army that first Christmas too. After
the angel made his magnificent announcement, a multitude
of the heavenly host suddenly appeared. Luke described it
as an angel army. The eternal Son of God, now lying as a
Baby in Bethlehem's manger, had created each and every
one of them. He was their Lord, commanding them like a
brilliant general.

Throughout the Old Testament He sent this angel army to
shield and protect His people from their enemies. Now they
have come to sing the praises of their Holy Commander.
They call on all the inhabitants of heaven to give glory to
God for keeping His promises and revealing His grace by
sending His Son as a Man.

Jesus' coming to earth fills heaven with glory and pours
out peace upon the earth. That peace is offered to each and
every man, woman and child. Jesus won that peace with
God through His perfect life and His atoning sacrifice on the
cross. Sadly, many will reject this greatest Christmas gift,
and the peace and protection He came to bring.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your angel armies who protect
us but, more importantly, thank You for winning our peace
through Your life, death and resurrection. Grant me faith to
never take Your salvation for granted. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

WHO NEEDS A SAVIOR?

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
Read Luke 2:11-12.

I remember being devastated one year when mom and
dad took down our Christmas tree early. They said it
had gotten too dry, but I never saw any danger. Years
later our youth group had a Christmas tree bonfire. In
seconds the tree exploded into flames, lighting up the
entire field. We all were forced to step back from the
intense heat. In that moment I realized just what great
a danger we had been in, and how mom and dad had
saved us.

If the shepherds were anything like most people, they
felt no danger sitting out in the fields that Christmas
night. Then in an instant the angel appeared, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them. In that horrifying
moment they saw the darkness of their sinful lives in
the holy light of God, and they were gripped with the
terror of His wrath.

Each of us will experience that moment someday --
either at our death or at Christ's return. We will be
immersed in the bright light of God's glory, as we
stand before Him for judgment. God will not weigh out
your good deeds versus your bad deeds, or compare
you to other people. Instead, He will look deep into
your thoughts, desires and attitudes. If you committed
one sin, one single wrongdoing at any time during your
life, you will stand condemned.

But that is why Jesus came as our Savior. He took
every sin to the cross; there He suffered God's fiery
wrath in our place. When we trust Jesus as our Savior,
all our sins are taken away, and when He returns we
will be able to stand spotless before His judgment seat.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for taking my place and suffering
for my sins. Guide me to show others why they need
Your salvation too. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

FEAR TURNED INTO JOY

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring
you good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10).

The days before Christmas were anxious times of worry
for me. What if I ended up with a stocking full of coal?
And of course there was always the dreaded children's
Christmas program! But the days after Christmas were
simply glorious: playing with our Christmas toys,
listening to Christmas music, eating Christmas cookies.
Life was good!

When the shepherds first saw the brightness of the
angel, and the surpassing brightness of God's own glory,
they were gripped with fear. But as the angel announced
the birth of God's Son, their great fear gave way to
greater joy. Life was good!

Life was really good for our first parents Adam and Eve.
God created them perfect and good. They knew God
loved them, and they knew they could depend on Him to
faithfully provide all their needs. Fear didn't enter the
picture until they disobeyed His command and ate the
forbidden fruit. At that moment, their perfect knowledge
of God was replaced with fear and dread of His wrath and
punishment.

We still live under that fear too. It's a fear that comes
from not knowing God perfectly or trusting Him completely.
When times are bad or when troubles come upon us, we
find it difficult to fully lean on Him. But that's why Jesus
came, to take our guilt upon Himself and pay the penalty
for our sins in His suffering and death on the cross. With
all sins removed and death completely conquered by
Jesus' death and resurrection, there is nothing left to fear.
Life is good indeed!

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, we rejoice that You sent Your Son to
remove our fear by taking upon Himself the punishment
we deserve. Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts
forever. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SHEER TERROR

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory
of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with
fear (Luke 2:9).

One Christmas memory always makes me shudder. I'm
sitting in a classroom dressed in costume and drenched
in sweat. It's not that the costume is too heavy or the
room too hot, I'm sweating because the children's
Christmas program starts in five minutes, and I'm so
nervous I can't remember a single word of my part!

Sheer terror! It's amazing how many times Luke mentions
that terror as he describes the first Christmas. First, there
was Zechariah in the temple, then Mary; now it's the
shepherds' turn. They are sitting quietly watching their
sheep on a dark night, when bright light suddenly
surrounds them. An angel stands before them shining in
glorious splendor. But that's not the source of the brightest
light. God's own glory is shining all around them. Their
reaction isn't unusual for a sinner in the presence of a holy
spirit creature, let alone the brightness of God's own glory.
Luke wrote in the original Greek, "they feared with great fear."

Actually, that was the same light the Son of God had been
radiating in heaven, before this world was created. But He
concealed that glory when He became human and came to
our dark world to save us from death and hell by His life,
death and resurrection. Because of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice
we will be able to stand before Him without fear, when He
returns to judge the world. Then throughout eternity we will
 bask in the glorious light of God's presence forever.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gracious presence
among us. Cleanse us from our sins through Jesus our
Savior, that we may live in Your glorious presence forever
when He comes again. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the
field keeping watch over their flock by night (Luke 2:8).

Writing Christmas cards is not always the most fun thing
to do, especially when you have stacks and stacks of
them. But it sure is fun to open the mailbox and find it
stuffed with Christmas cards, announcing Jesus' great
birth. We cover our front door with the cards mailed to us.

A Christmas greeting and announcement was one of the
most memorable things about the first Christmas too.

Now that His Son is born, it is time for God to send out
announcements to let the world know. What better
messengers than angels? Interestingly, God didn't
choose rich, prominent, important people to be the first
to hear the glad tidings of the Christmas angel. Instead,
He chose poor, lowly shepherds and sent His angel to
give them the very first Christmas announcement.

Shepherds didn't have the best reputation at the time,
especially in their local synagogues or churches. But
theirs was still an important and ancient profession.
Adam and Eve's second son Abel was a shepherd,
before he was murdered by his jealous brother Cain.
Jesus' own human ancestors Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob had all been shepherds, as had been another
famous ancestor, King David.

In time Jesus would show the greatest honor to
shepherds, taking that title as His own and calling
Himself the "Good Shepherd." Like these shepherds,
Jesus was willing to lay down His life to protect His
sheep. Unlike them, He could lay it down on the cross
and take it up again on the third day. This He did so
He would always stand guard over His flock, and gather
us together as His own.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd, thank You for laying
down Your life and taking it up again for us. Guard and
keep us in this faith until the day of Your returning.
Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

IN THE ELEMENTS

And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him
in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because
there was no place for them in the inn (Luke 2:7).
Read Luke 2:6-7.

On Christmas Eve my thoughts goes back to a "live"
nativity when I was a teenager. I was dressed as a wise
man, and it was freezing cold. Each of us stood shivering
and shaking, waiting for our shift to end, so we could
thaw out our aching toes and wrap our frozen fingers
around a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

We don't know what time of year Jesus was born. But
whatever time of year it was, Joseph and Mary had to lay
their Child where no one would ever want to put a
newborn -- out in the elements, with only a crude shelter
for His protection.

Do you have a manger scene in your front yard? If so,
spend a few minutes there tonight. Jesus willingly left His
glorious throne in heaven to share the chill of nighttime
and the grinding heat of the summer sun. He experienced
our hunger and thirst, sleepless nights, and long difficult
days.

But more than any of us, He experienced a crown of thorns,
a brutal whip across His back, and nails driven into His
hands and feet. He took our sins on Himself and felt the full
weight of God's wrath, so one day we will live forever in
God's presence where, "They shall hunger no more, neither
thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any
scorching heat" (Revelation 7:16).

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You left the comforts of heaven to share the
difficulties of our life. Through Your suffering and death in
our place, You opened heaven to us. Fill our hearts with
joy this Christmas and every day until we stand with You
in paradise. Amen

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that
all the world should be registered (Luke 2:1).
Read Luke 2:1-5.

Every year I take my family across three states to spend
Christmas with my brothers and their families in Ohio. It's a
long trip, but we thoroughly enjoy it, reaching our
destination the same day. My father once told me of a
Christmas he spent traveling by train from California to
Ohio on leave from the Navy.

As we remember the birth of God's Son, we recall another
long and difficult Christmas journey. That journey was set
in motion by a command from the Roman emperor. But
standing behind the mightiest man in the world -- Caesar
Augustus -- stood God, the ultimate Ruler, moving His
Son's chosen mother to the exact place were long ago He
had announced His Son would be born. In Micah 5:2 we
read, "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little
to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth
for Me One who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth
is from of old, from ancient days."

In another 30 years a Roman military governor will pass a
judgment of his own, commanding this same Jesus to
carry His cross on a journey to Mt. Calvary to be crucified.
God stood behind that decision too, laying our guilt and
sins on His own Son, who made that most difficult of
journeys so that we could be forgiven and live with Him
forever.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for taking up Your cross and
making that long journey to Mt. Calvary, where You set
me free from sin, guilt, death and hell. Fill me with joy
and patience no matter where I may travel this
Christmastime. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

OUR FAMILY PHOTO ALBUM

And the child grew and became strong in spirit
(Luke 1:80a).

It's fun to look through our family photo albums.
Christmas after Christmas each of us grows taller.
Before too long girlfriends start showing up, and
then wives, and children of our own. Now the father
of a teenager myself, it's fun to sit down and watch
videos of past Christmases and see my son
growing into a young man-strong in body, mind and
spirit.

Luke concludes the account of John's birth with
an interesting footnote and a reminder: John "grew
and became strong in spirit, and he was in the
wilderness until the day of his public appearance to
Israel." Since Zechariah and Elizabeth were both
advanced in years before John was conceived, it is
quite possible neither of them lived long enough to
see him grow to adulthood. When John was grown
he lived in the wilderness, awaiting the moment the
Spirit of God would stir him to begin his work,
preparing the people of Israel for their Savior.
John wasn't born to remain a little baby and neither
was Jesus. As Christmas Day draws near we take
a moment to look back into the photo album of our
human family. When we do we see our Brother Jesus
on the day of His birth. But Jesus didn't stay that little
Baby in the manger; He grew to be a remarkable man
whose story will unfold more clearly and completely in
the accounts of His adult life. This we will see in the
upcoming Lenten devotions, especially His death and
resurrection that set us free.

In the meantime, as our Christmas devotions continue,
we rejoin Mary and remember the birth of her special
Baby Jesus.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to
save us. Open my mind to watch Jesus grow from that
tiny Baby to be my powerful Savior and Lord. In Jesus'
Name. Amen.

ALEPPO

Verse
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I
was a stranger and you did not invite me in ... I
was sick and in prison and you did not look after
me.      - Matthew 25:42-43

Voice

you have to understand,
no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land.
- Warsan Shire

Prayer

Lord, be with the citizens of Aleppo as they
mourn, seek shelter, and pray for peace.
Teach us how to share their burden of sorrow
and address their pain.

(Sojourners,   sojo.net)

DEATH'S SHADOW

(Zechariah said) "because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light
to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death"
(Luke 1:78-79a).       Read Luke 1:76-79.

In Charles Dickens' book The Christmas Carol, Bob
Cratchit looks at his eldest son, nearly grown and about to
leave home, and tells his family, "But however and
whenever we part from one another, I am sure we shall
none of us forget poor Tiny Tim -- shall we -- or this first
parting that there was among us."

The first parting among my family was my father's death.
The next Christmas we tried hard to recapture the joy
and laughter of former Christmases, but we all felt the
empty place his parting had left behind.
In Zechariah's words of praise to God, he briefly turns to
speak of his son John and the great work God would
accomplish through him as Jesus' great prophet and
forerunner. But now he turns back to Jesus' far greater
work.

He describes Jesus as the sun that comes to us from
heaven. Just as the morning sun rises to scatter the
darkness of night, Jesus Christ will arise to shatter the
darkness of sin, doubt and death. Jesus comes to those
sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. They are
sitting because they have no power or hope; they have
given up the fight. But through His life, death and
resurrection, Jesus has scattered the shadow that death
casts across us. Raising us to our feet by faith, He sets
us moving toward heaven again. He guides our feet along
the way of peace that leads to God the Father's
presence in heaven-and a joyous eternal reunion with
our loved ones-those who have died in faith.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, shine Your light on our darkness, comfort us
in our grief, and set our feet once again on the path of
peace -- the road to heaven. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

HIDDEN IN THE WRAPPINGS

(Zechariah said) "that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us" (Luke 1:71).
Read Luke 1:71-75.

Scattered among my Christmas memories are some dark
clouds. Several Christmases saw cancer and death stalking
our family. One year it hovered over my wife's father; several
years later it was my mother. That terrible enemy cast a
shadow over everything, attempting to swallow up our joy,
peace and light.

Of course, it doesn't take as formidable an enemy as death
to suck the joy out of Christmas. The nagging problems of
poor health, strained relationships, or financial struggles are
more than enough. That's why I love the third stanza of "It
Came upon the Midnight Clear."

"All you, beneath your heavy load, by care and guilt bent
low Who toil along a dreary way, with painful steps and slow:
Look up, for golden is the hour, come swiftly on the wing,
The Prince was born to bring you peace, of Him the angels
sing."

Zechariah carried that same thought as he praised God for
sending His Son to visit and redeem His people, "that we
should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all
who hate us."

The truth is we do have great and powerful enemies who are
out to get us. Satan tempted our first parents to sin. That sin
led to God's condemnation and resulted in death and hell.
But God did not abandon us to their heartless hands. He
sent His own all-powerful Son to rescue us.

Come back around for the Lenten devotions this coming
spring. Then you will see Zechariah's prophecy unfold, as
Jesus shows His great strength, against all of these bitter
enemies.

THE PRAYER:

Gracious Father, we are surrounded by powerful enemies
who would destroy us, but You sent Your Son to win our
salvation by His perfect life, innocent suffering and death
and powerful resurrection. Keep us safe in this faith until
His return. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

FIRST WORDS

(Zechariah said) "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He
has visited and redeemed His people" (Luke 1:68).
Read Luke 1:67-70.

As a child I had no problem going to church Christmas Eve,
because I knew the presents wouldn't come before midnight.
My problem came Christmas morning, after opening our
presents and playing with them, then to have to go to church
again. Obviously, at that time presents were the biggest part
of Christmas to me.

Did Zechariah have that same problem? After all, he had
been silent nine months, and finally got his speech back. If
it was you, what is the first thing you would talk about?
Wouldn't it be your child -- the one you had waited and
prayed about for so long?

But Zechariah said nothing about his child; all he could talk
about was that other Child, who stayed in his household the
last three months -- the Baby still growing in Mary's womb.
Zechariah shared his wife's amazement at how God has
come to visit His people, and this visit is not the way an
angel appears and then leaves. Instead, God remains,
becoming one of us, ready to spend a lifetime living with us.
But there's even more to the story. Not only has the Christ
Child come to live with us, He has come to redeem or
ransom us -- to buy us back from our slavery to sin, death
and hell. Zechariah spoke of the ransom payment that still
lay more than 30 years in the future. It was then when
Jesus would be nailed to a cross, on a hill outside of
Jerusalem. It is there that He will give His life to free us from
God's wrath and the eternal punishment of hell that we
deserve.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, Christmas is about far more than presents,
decorations and parties. It is about Your Son coming into our
world to buy us back with His own life, death and resurrection.
Fill my mouth with praise to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

REGRETS

And immediately his (Zechariah's) mouth was opened and
his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God (Luke 1:64).
Read Luke 1:64-66.

Squeezing together at Christmas time can put a strain on
even the closest of families. Cutting words can splinter and
scar a family for years. Perhaps this Christmas will see
empty places around your table -- and deep regret in your
heart.

Zechariah knew that regret well. Nine long months went by
since he spoke a word. Out of disappointment he last used
his voice to blurt out his doubts about the angel's promise.
Over the months his faith has been restored by the
wonderful things he has seen and experienced, but his last
words still echo in his mind.

But along with that echo are the words of the angel, "You
will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these
things take place" (Luke 1:20). One by one everything the
angel predicted has occurred, and now the last piece has
fallen into place: the child has been named John. In an
instant God restores his speech. And the first words from
Zechariah's mouth are words of blessing for the great
things God has done.

Each of us carries regret over hasty words we have said.
Perhaps you regret something you said to a loved one
now gone. Just remember Jesus Christ came in the
manger to win forgiveness for that sin. Because He died
and rose again, we have new hope and new life. It's a hope
that through Christ Jesus our fractured relationships will be
repaired. We hope for this to take place in this life but even
if it doesn't, for all who believe, it will in the never-ending life
we will enjoy together when Jesus Christ returns.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, heal the wounds I caused by my hasty,
hurting words; restore the relationships I have damaged,
and fill me with peace and joy for Jesus' sake. I pray in His
Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SOMETHING NEW

And he (Zechariah) asked for a writing tablet and wrote,
"His name is John." ... (Luke 1:63a). Read Luke 1:57-63.

When I was a child presents didn't show up under our
tree until Christmas morning. When my wife was a child
they were there Christmas Eve after church. We knew
when our first child came along that one of us would be
starting a new tradition.

Something new was about to happen in Zechariah's
family. The time finally came and Elizabeth gave birth to
a son. Eight days later it was time to circumcise and
name him. Zechariah's neighbors and family wanted to
name him after his father, but Elizabeth refused.
Clinging to the words of the angel to Zechariah, she
said his name was to be John.

This puzzled the friends and relatives. It was traditional
to name sons after their father or another family member.
But Elizabeth stood firm. Her child's name would
transcend family relations. He was not just a gift to his
family, but to the whole world.

When the neighbors turned to Zechariah, they began
asking him what name he wanted to give the child.
Zechariah immediately got his writing tablet and
confidently wrote, "His name is John."

What a difference from nine months ago. Then he was
filled with doubt, skepticism and hopelessness. The time
John was growing in Elizabeth's womb, and those three
months with Mary and her special Child were more than
enough to renew Zechariah's flagging faith. Now with
great confidence and boldness, Zechariah gives his son
the name the angel had said.

Jesus makes that transformation in our lives too. By the
salvation won by His life, death and resurrection, He
drives away our doubts, fears and cynicism, and fills us
with courage, joy and faith.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, thank You for bearing with our doubts
and fears. For Jesus' sake, fill us with confidence, hope
and faith that we may trust You and serve one another.
In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

FAMILY GATHERINGS

And Mary remained with her about three months and
returned to her home (Luke 1:56)

When we first gather with family at Christmas, it's a
wonderful feeling. But after a few days together, we
begin to notice those things that got on our nerves
as kids and how they still get on our nerves today.
We can manage a couple of days all right, but three
months would be out of the question.

But three months was perfect for Mary, Elizabeth
and Zechariah. They probably would have stayed
together longer if they could. The women talked
about God's plans for their sons, while Zechariah
listened in. These were great days. It is a truly
wonderful experience to spend time together with
people who share your interests and your
fascination with the great things God is doing.
Of course, just as our Christmas gatherings must
eventually come to an end, the time finally came
for Mary to return home as well.

Our Christmas gatherings can be powerful
glimpses of the great joy those who believe in
Jesus Christ as Savior will enjoy in heaven. We
will get along perfectly, because God will remove
the sin that turns us against each other. Until that
day, we can enjoy more harmonious gatherings,
because Jesus has already begun His work in us,
taking away our sins and God's wrath and making
us new creatures in His image.

That process will finally be completed when Jesus
Christ returns to earth on Judgment Day. Then He
will make us perfect. We will live together in joy
and peace in God's presence forever, sharing even
greater delights than Mary, Elizabeth and Zechariah
enjoyed during those three wonderful months together.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, thank You for gathering us as
Your family in Jesus Christ Your Son. Purify our
hearts that we may enjoy our time together this
Christmas -- looking to the eternal pleasure of being
together in Your presence. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

BRINGING DOWN AND RAISING UP

(And Mary said) "He has brought down the mighty from
their thrones and exalted those of humble estate"
(Luke 1:52).     Read Luke 1:51-55.

I used to snoop around the house to find the presents
from mom and dad. Their solution was to wrap up the
presents a few weeks early, then put them under the tree
-- without any name tags on them. We examined those
packages with magnifying glasses but found no clue as to
which present belonged to which of us five boys. My
solution was daring and brilliant: I found the biggest
package under the tree and claimed it as my own.
Whenever we posed for pictures I stood by my beautiful,
huge present. Of course, on Christmas morning it always
ended up belonging to one of my brothers.

A few days back we discussed the stigma the Jewish
culture put upon childless couples like Zechariah and
Elizabeth. That proud and arrogant attitude plagued the
entire Jewish culture. It was commonly thought that God
showed His favor to certain people by giving them wealth,
power and prominence. And He showed His displeasure
to others through poverty, disease and a low social
standing.

Mary's experience shattered that foolish presumption.
God passed by all the virgin daughters of the rich,
powerful, prominent families in Jerusalem, and instead
He chose an unknown girl from an obscure city in the
despised north. Jesus would say it best, "Whoever exalts
himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself
will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12).

None of us can stand before our pure and holy God in our
own righteousness. Our only hope is through the humble
Christ Child, born in a lowly manger, nailed to a despised
cross, raised to glory on the third day, and seated at the
right hand of God the Father in heaven.
THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, You humble the proud and raise up the
lowly. Turn me from my arrogant, sinful pride that I may
cling to Jesus Christ, My Lord and Savior, my pride and
joy. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

MAGNIFY THE LORD

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my
spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46-47)
Read Luke 1:46-55.

One year in early December our old black-and-white
console television conked out on us. Mom covered
it with a white cloth and set up the manger scene on
top. On Christmas morning my parents lifted the
white cloth from the front of the set and suddenly we
had a brand new color television. Seeing all the
programs in color for the first time was amazing.
Mary had an experience something like that. First,
the angel's message, and now Elizabeth's greeting.
In response, she bursts out in praise, "My soul
magnifies the Lord!"

What a curious thing to say. She obviously doesn't
mean her soul or spirit has made God greater than
He already is. She means her mental image of God
has grown significantly. Previously, she thought
God would have sent His angel to the high priest's
daughter in Jerusalem or to a girl from a powerful,
influential and wealthy family. She surely didn't
think God would send an angel to a girl like her with
no fame, wealth or influence.

But God had noticed her -- a young, unknown girl
from an insignificant, little town that is never
mentioned throughout the entire Old Testament.
God chose her to be the mother of His Son.
When we recognize our unworthiness, our sin, our
failings, then God is ready to magnify Himself in our
eyes too. That's the secret of Christmas: the Christ
Child came to our world to take away our sin and
the punishment we deserve for it. Today He comes
to your house to live with you, give meaning to your
life, guard your ways, and even lead you through
death to life everlasting.
THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I am amazed You would concern
Yourself with someone like me. Thank You for
sending Your Son to save me and promising me
eternal life for His sake. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

CHRISTMAS TRIPS

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the
hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the
house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-40)
Read Luke 1:39-45.

Christmas trips were always so much fun. It was exciting
to see the Christmas decorations as we walked up to the
front door. I loved stepping inside and seeing the Christmas
tree, along with all the toys my cousins or friends had
gotten for Christmas. Then we'd pull out a few toys of our
own that we had brought along.

A Christmas trip to her relative is the first step on Mary's
new path. She sets out to see her cousin Elizabeth, who
is miraculously pregnant in her old age. Mary quickly travels
from the area of Galilee to Zechariah's home in Judea. Filled
with excitement she walks up to Elizabeth's door. Beaming
with joy she greets her aged cousin-and gets the surprise
of her life.

In a loud and excited voice Elizabeth proclaims, "Blessed
are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your
womb!" (Luke 1:42b). Mary is shocked and delighted. She
hasn't even had the chance to say anything more than
"hello," and immediately Elizabeth knows everything. The
Holy Spirit has revealed to her that the Child just beginning
to grow in Mary's womb is actually God's Son.

What a comfort for Mary! She won't face the awkward
explanation of the circumstances concerning her pregnancy,
or have to convince the priest's wife this was all God's doing.
In an instant, before Mary can say anything, the Holy Spirit
has done it all. God has led her to the one couple able to fully
understand and appreciate the amazing things God has done
for her.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for faithful people like Elizabeth
who believe Your promises and share our faith. Bring us
together this Christmas season that we may rejoice together
and share our wonder at Your amazing love in Jesus Christ.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

LIFE'S CRAZY PATH

Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;
let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).
Read Luke 1:36-38.

Did you ever open a Christmas present only to find
an empty box with a clue in it? Following that clue
led you out to the swing set, where another clue
sent you to the hall closet. From there you went out
to the garage, then up to the bedroom and, finally,
down to the basement, where your real present was
waiting for you.

The angel concludes his visit assuring Mary nothing
is impossible for God, pointing to Mary's own relative
Elizabeth as an example. Mary humbly offers herself
to God's wonderful plan. But she has no idea the
crazy path she will follow, as His plan unfolds in her
life. We will trace this path through this Christmas
season into the Lenten devotions, coming later this
winter.

But no matter what will happen, Mary trusts God, and
she is content to follow His path, wherever it may lead.
We can learn a lot from her attitude! Sometimes God's
will takes us down paths we are not expecting, paths
we sometimes do not even wish to go. But God
promises to be with us along the road. And we look
forward to a great present at the end: eternal life with
Him in our glorious and resurrected body, living in a
perfectly restored world.

Actually, Mary's Son Jesus did the same thing too.
When His Father asked Him to take the path of the
cross, Jesus said, "Not My will, but Yours be done"
(see Luke 22:42). He went to the cross, took our guilt
on Himself, and died in our place so that God could
look on us with love, favor and forgiveness.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, sometimes Your
perfect plan for our life takes us down paths we would
not choose on our own. Give us faith and confidence
to trust You as Jesus did. In His Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SEEKING JUSTICE

Verse

Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the causes of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
Isaiah 1:17

Voice

My view is that to sit back and let fate
play its hand out and never try to
influence it at all is not the way
[humankind] was meant to operate.
John Glenn

Prayer

Prepare us, God, for the peace that
comes only by sacrifice and discipline.
adapted from Common Prayer

(sojo.net)

SPOTLESS CONCEPTION

And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since
I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34)
Read Luke 1:34-35.

Mom and dad made most of the Christmas cookies
in our house. Sure, they let us use cookie cutters
and sprinkles, but for some reason that's all. I always
thought five little boys would have been a really big
help measuring out ingredients and mixing them
together. Did it really hurt if you put in two cups of
salt instead of two cups of sugar? (I couldn't
understand why mom threw out that whole batch of
dough and sent us out to the living room.)

When it came to Jesus' conception, the angel told
Mary the Holy Spirit would do all the work. He will
come upon her and use His miraculous power to
bring about Jesus' conception.

Just as a cookie recipe requires the correct amount
of sugar and salt, God's recipe for our salvation
required His Son to be conceived and born of a virgin.
Every human born of a human father and mother
inherits the stain of sin our human race has carried
since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the
Garden of Eden. Had Jesus been conceived of
Joseph and Mary He would have been contaminated
with our same sinful nature and could never have
been our Savior.

To save us, God's Son had to share our human
nature and flesh, without sharing our sin and guilt.
Being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born free of
our guilt, Jesus was able to be our perfect Substitute, l
living the perfect life you and I cannot live. He
completed our salvation by suffering and dying in our
place on the cross.

THE PRAYER:

Almighty God, thank You for Your perfect plan to save
us through Your spotless Son Jesus Christ. Give us
faith to always trust Him as our one and only Savior.
In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

NO ORDINARY BABY

"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a
Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus" (Luke 1:31).
Read Luke 1:30-33.

I love studying the ornaments on our Christmas tree. Each
has a history and a meaning all its own; each triggers a
memory. But when I was a kid I never really cared that
much about the ornaments. For me the best thing was the
tree itself -- all lit up and shining in glory.

As Mary looks at the angel shining in all his glory, she is
confused and gripped with fear. Gabriel cancels that fear
by revealing God has chosen her to be the mother of a very
special Son. In simple words he spells out the whole story
of Christmas. She will conceive and give birth to a Son, a
special Son; His Name will be Jesus.

Sadly, that is all most people see when they pass by a
manger scene: a baby lying there in the hay. But we need
to pause and step closer, so we can study each detail the
angel reveals about Him, just like the ornaments on a tree.
First, He says this Child will be great: the greatest human
to ever live. Next, he calls Him the Son of the Most High,
the mighty Son of God.

Now he reveals this Child is born to be King, but He will
not be like any other earthly king. Other kings and leaders
depend upon the might of their military or the assent of
their people to rule. But Jesus' Kingship rests on His
strength alone. He does not need an army of angels to
keep Him on His throne; nor does He need our consent.
In His greatest hour (and ours), He will go to the cross
alone. There He will defeat sin, death, hell and the devil
for us.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, Your Son is our mighty King. Receive
our thanks for His great salvation and help us spread His
reign of grace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

CONFUSION

And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for
you have found favor with God" (Luke 1:30).
Read Luke 1:26-29.

Frustration is sitting on the floor with six or seven strings
of Christmas lights all tangled together. After a short
struggle I gave up and handed the whole mess to dad.
And even though I'd left the tangled ball of wire and lights
even more tightly tangled than before, in dad's skilled
Navy hands they were untangled and ready for the tree
in a jiffy.

When Mary heard the greeting of the angel Gabriel, she
was frustrated, confused, perplexed and greatly troubled-
like I felt trying to untangle the lights. A debate began
raging back and forth in her mind as she considered what
the greeting meant. Why had the angel come? What
message would he bring?

There is so much confusion in life. Just like Mary we try to
pick through the tangled pieces of our lives and see if we
can make sense out of them. Our minds go back and forth
from one point of view to another, from faith to doubt, from
confidence to uncertainty, from comfort to fear.

Thankfully, nothing is a mystery for God. He arranges
everything according to His loving plan. He assures us, "I
know the plans I have for you ... plans for welfare and not
for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (see Jeremiah 29:11).
The most important part of that plan was starting to fall into
place right now. God's own Son is becoming human, so He
can live a perfect life and suffer on the cross in our place to
win eternal life for all of us.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, life can be very confusing. In such times
remind me to cast my cares into Your hands so I may live
in peace and quietness. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

THE LORD'S FAVOR

"Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"
(Luke 1:28b).         Read Luke 1:26-28.

One of the most coveted roles among the girls in our
Sunday school Christmas program was the Virgin
Mary. Her big moment was when she gently wrapped
a baby doll in cloths and laid him in the manger. But
another sought-after part was the angel Gabriel. Since
that required memorizing a larger part, it usually was
given to an older student.

The angel Gabriel had already brought some great
messages to Daniel and Zechariah, but nothing could
compare with the message God entrusts to him now.
He goes out from the presence of God to a city in the
northern region of Galilee called Nazareth. There he
appears to a virgin who is betrothed to a man named
Joseph. Her name is Mary. Gabriel greets her with
reassuring words, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord
is with you!"

But what is so special about Mary? Why has God
chosen her for this singular honor above all other virgins
in Israel? Actually, there is nothing special about Mary.
She is a sinner like you and me, and needs God's grace
and favor just like we all do. The focus is upon God; He
has chosen a simple person like her to be the mother
of His Son.

Each of us who celebrate with joy our Savior's birth has
been favored by our God the same way as Mary. Like her,
we deserved nothing but God's wrath, but instead He
showers His grace and forgiveness on us through the
Christmas Child. And just as Mary was favored to bring
the Christ Child into the world, we are favored to bring
Christ Jesus to the nations.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, You showed us Your favor by calling us
by name and making us Your own children through faith in
Jesus Christ. Bless us now to share that favor with others
as we share Jesus' story. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

FALSE ASSUMPTIONS

After these days (Zechariah's) wife Elizabeth conceived,
and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
"Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when He
looked on me, to take away my reproach among people"
(Luke 1:24-25).
Read Luke 1:23-25.

Many husbands and wives struggle with the heartbreak
of infertility. But Zechariah and Elizabeth experience
something even deeper. During that period when a
couple was childless, their neighbors often made false
and hurtful assumptions about them.

Judaism had lost its proper understanding of the Old
Testament. Instead of focusing on God's undeserved
grace for helpless sinners, the Jews focused on their
own worthiness. They judged their neighbors'
relationship with God by the blessings He showered
on them. Their good health, financial status, overall
prosperity, social status, and number of descendants --
or lack of -- were indicators of their connection with
God. No matter how much they honored God and
trusted His salvation, Jewish society looked upon
Zechariah and Elizabeth's infertility as proof that
things were not quite right between them and God.
Now, at last, God has visited them and removed
Elizabeth's social disgrace. But interestingly, Elizabeth
doesn't go right out and clear up her reputation by
broadcasting her pregnancy. Instead, she keeps her
pregnancy hidden. Perhaps it is because Elizabeth
knows God is doing something even greater than
granting her the gift of a child-as special as that child
will be.

God is sending His Son into the world, and her son will
be His forerunner, His messenger. How surprised she
will be in the sixth month when the mother of God's Son
comes to be a guest in her house.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, it is not easy to be judged and
misunderstood by people-especially when I struggle
through difficult situations. Grant me Your joy, peace,
and patience as You guide me through this life. In Jesus'
Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SPEECHLESS

And behold, (the angel said) you will be silent and unable
to speak until the day that these things take place
(Luke 1:20a).          Read Luke 1:20-22.

I can think of few times during the year when I would hate
to lose my voice more than Christmas time. There are so
many beautiful carols to sing, so many thrilling songs. It
did happen one year in my ministry. I had to save my
voice to preach and, as a result, sat silently as our
members sang all those beautiful Christmas carols without
me. It was frustrating beyond all measure.

What must it have been like for Zechariah to be silenced-
not for a day or two-but for more than nine months? This
should have been the happiest time in his life. It should
have started with him stepping out of the temple, praising
God with a loud voice. Instead, he can only try to make
signs to communicate with the waiting crowds outside.
God has left him unable to speak because of his unbelief.
At first, the worshipers in the temple court wondered at
his delay since usually burning incense was a quick thing.
But when Zechariah came out unable to speak, they read
his gestures and realized he had seen a vision in the
temple. But unfortunately he was unable to tell them what
had happened.

The same will be true when he returns home to Elizabeth.
He will have to watch God's marvelous plan unfold, seeing
the dream he had long shared with his wife come true and
all the while finding himself unable to speak a single word
about it.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, I confess my doubt and unbelief. Forgive
me for Jesus' sake, and fill me with Your Spirit that I may
trust Your Word and praise Your Name forever. In Jesus'
Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

STOLEN JOY

The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the
presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to
you and to tell you this good news" (Luke 1:19).
Read Luke 1:19-25.

It took a lot of behind-the-scenes work for us to get
that pool table. Our neighbors let mom and dad
stored it unassembled in their garage next door.
Then late Christmas Eve our neighbor and my dad
carried it piece by piece to our basement, where
dad spent all the night putting it together. But you
never saw a group of happier boys surrounding a
pool table than that Christmas morning.

This also should be Zechariah's greatest day.
Instead, his doubt and skepticism blinds him to
the joy and wonder of all that God has promised.
So the angel reveals his name: Gabriel. A priest
like Zechariah should certainly recognize him as
the angel God had sent several times to share
His message with Daniel.

Beyond that, Gabriel reminds the foolish priest
that he has come from the very presence of God
Himself. He received these words directly from
God and has come to bring this great message
of good news.

God has made Christmas such a joyous season,
but just like Zechariah we so often let the little
things in life steal our joy, along with our voice of
praise and thanksgiving to God. Agonizing over
our problems and self-absorbed, we miss the
peace and joy that God is carefully working
everything out for us. We fail to see that if God
has sent His Son to take care of our most
important problems, i.e. saving us from death
and His fiery wrath, He will certainly take care
of our mundane needs as well.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, I have every reason to praise
You and declare Your glorious name to everyone
I see. Please turn me from fear, anger and
bitterness and fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I
may joyfully share Your good news this
Christmas and always. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

THE IMPOSIBLE GIFT

And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know
this?" (Luke 1:18)

The impossible gift: for some children it's a pony; for
us it was a pool table. Every Christmas we asked for
a pool table and ended up disappointed. Finally, one
Christmas we sat around the tree after opening all
our presents. Figuring there would be no pool table,
we resigned ourselves to look more closely at the
presents we had received. That's when mom and dad
brought out one last present for each of us. One
brother opened a triangle; another opened a box of
pool balls. We were all running downstairs before the
other three gifts were unwrapped.

That's what happened to Zechariah. But instead of
running downstairs to see the pool table, he sat on
the floor asking "How shall I know this?" Long ago he
had given up the dream of having a child. So even
though an angel stands before him delivering this
tremendous good news, Zechariah finds it impossible
to believe.

God's great promises often greet us when we are
beaten down, discouraged and depressed. A cynicism
often creeps in that keeps us from enjoying God's gifts
as we should, but those gifts are still offered whether
you believe it or not. The Baby is still in Bethlehem's
manger for you. Will you pass Him by just because
you've been discouraged by the events in your life?
Christmas is really all about God stepping into our
world of disappointment, heartache and failure. He
came to share our life of pain and sorrow; He came to
give us His life of joy, peace and bliss.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, come to me in my disillusionment and
pain. Reassure me of Your power to heal my pain,
provide all my needs, and lead me to unending joy in
Your presence. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

GOD'S GREAT PLAN

He will go before (the Lord) in the spirit and power
of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the
just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared
(Luke 1:17).     Read Luke 1:14-17.

The angel tells Zechariah his son "will be great before
the Lord." That's high praise for any of our children-
that God looks upon them as great. But John's
greatness is not because he is the son of Zechariah
and Elizabeth, but because he will be filled with the
Holy Spirit even before his birth. The Spirit will equip
him to accomplish his great God-given mission.
Zechariah is instructed to keep his son from drinking
wine or strong drink. John will live like a Nazarite of
Old Testament days. Nazarites were Israelites who
were set apart from the Israelites with their lives
dedicated to serving God and His people. They
demonstrated that separation by letting their hair
grow long and refraining from eating grapes or
drinking wine and other alcoholic drinks.

As the angel tells Zechariah, "He will turn many of
the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he
will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah ...
to make ready for the Lord a people prepared"
(see Luke 1:16-17).

John will expose our selfishness and show us why
we need a Savior, so we will trust in the promised
Son of God. It is He alone who will work out our
salvation in His perfect life and innocent suffering
and death. Clearly, it was worth waiting all those
years to have such a son as John.

THE PRAYER:

Lord God, thank You for sending Your Son into
our world, and preparing people like Zechariah and
Elizabeth to be parents of His forerunner John.
Give me courage to walk with You in faith as You
order my steps. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

ZECHARIAH AND ELIZABETH'S BOY

And you will have joy and gladness, and many
will rejoice at his birth (Luke 1:14).

Stringing up Christmas lights is hard work, especially
when you are on that ladder on a cold, windy day in
December. But it's all worth it when evening comes-
when you stand far enough back to take it all in, and
then ... you throw the switch. Those bright lights bring
such joy: a joy many of your neighbors will share too.
Now Zechariah stands in the presence of the holy
angel hearing amazing news. How wonderful it must
be for Zechariah to hear that he and Elizabeth will
finally have that child for whom they prayed so many
decades ago. They will finally hold him in their arms,
their long-awaited son. This child will be a source of
great joy, ending their sorrow, disappointment and
heartache.

God even handpicks his name: John. It means "The
Lord has shown favor." That favor is even greater
than the conception of this miraculous child
Elizabeth will soon bear; it rests in another Child-
God's own Son. That Son for whom Christmas is
named will bring us true joy and peace as He
removes our sin and guilt and reconciles us to God.
Zechariah and Elizabeth waited decades for the
birth of their son, but God's people waited
thousands of years for their Lord to keep His
promise and send His own Son to save us. John
will bring all these believers great joy because he
will be the messenger who will show the world God's
Son has come at last.

THE PRAYER:

 Heavenly Father, fill us with the joy of this blessed
Christmas season, and drive away all our guilt, fear,
and sorrow. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SHOW US THE WAY

Verse
There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer
slave or free, there is no longer male and female;
for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28

Voice
The smallest indivisible human unit is two people,
not one; one is a fiction. From such nets of souls
societies, the social world, human life springs.
Tony Kushner

Prayer
Show us the ways, God, in which we can be
there for the many people affected by HIV/AIDS.
Teach us this, on this World AIDS day, and make
it so that we don't forget your wisdom once today
ends.

(sojo.com}