December 24, 2010
Mary…Christmas Eve
I’m thinking of a young Mary in her teens on the eve of her firstborn child. Miles away from her support system with only her husband Joseph (as far as we know) to serve as a mid-wife. This first Christmas Eve must have brought as much uncertainty as did the angel’s visit nine months earlier. Today believers have the promise of the spiritual indwelling Holy Spirit, but Mary was entrusted with his most precious gift…the physical indwelling presence of God.
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3 comments:
Gail;
-----God offered Ahaz any sign of his choosing regarding the safety of Judea from Aram and Israel. But Ahaz trusted God entirely and declined to ask for a sign. So God gave the birth of this child to a young virgin as a sign anyway.
-----But the purpose in this birth was not just to present a sign. Lucifer had elevated himself to the place of God in heaven. God would defeat him so appropriately by lowering Himself to the place of man on earth. Satan's was an action of self-gratifying use of others. God's action would be one of gratifying others by the use of Himself. The result of Satan's action would be that everyone exalting themselves with him would be cast down. The result of God's action would be that everyone laying themselves down with Christ would be lifted up to share the very throne of God Satan coveted.
-----The way God chose to make life and holiness available to us on earth and defeat the evil of Satan is a beautiful thing of genius. He basically blew Satan's idiocy back into his face by doing the true opposite of it. The lowering of Himself meant He had to become man. Which He did. He was born a man. And to be born a man He needed only a human mother.
-----Moreover, as the result of the first Adam became death to all men, there needed to be a second Adam who could bring a better result for man. That also is part of the purpose for the virgin birth. Having no human father meant that side of His DNA had to be a new creation - the second Adam. And this second Adam did the opposite of the first Adam - He did not sin. And now life can pass to all who are reborn.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
And we complain at any inconvenience and we wonder what God wants if it demands any sacrifice.
I have also been reminded of how scary angels must be.
Worthwhile reminders.
Grace and Peace.
Pumice,
So true…Our culture, even in the church environment, understands entitlements more than we do sacrifice.
Gail
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