Heaven Is About to Break Upon Us

Devotional for Tuesday, December 10th

Today’s Bible Reading: Luke 1:57-80

There are some things in the Bible that I find hilarious. I’m not surprised, because they say that the funniest things in life are based in truth. And the Bible is, after all, a very real book about very real (and messy) humans.

Today we come back to the Elizabeth and Zechariah story. Elizabeth and has given birth to a son, but Zechariah hasn’t regained his voice yet. The neighbors have all gathered to celebrate the newborn baby. It’s a lovely picture of joyful community, but then it all gets thrown into confusion when it’s time to name the baby. The neighbors all assume the boy will be named after his father. But Elizabeth insists he is to be called John. They turn to Zechariah to confirm the matter:

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” (Luke 1:62-63, NIV)

Here’s my question: Why did they make signs to Zechariah? Gabriel took away his ability to speak, not to hear. This is one of those things that strike me as funny. Maybe it’s because I can relate to how Zechariah may have felt. Sometimes when I’m out and about, people, seeing that I have a disability, will talk to me as if I’m a child. They make assumptions about what my limitations are. And I know I have made assumptions about others as well. We humans are a funny bunch!

After Zechariah confirms that the baby will be named John, he regains his ability to speak and launches into a song of praise. When we first meet Zechariah, he is a man without hope. Now, after nine months of silence, he is full of confidence and joy. I wonder what those nine months were like for him. Did the silence allow God to reveal more of himself to Zechariah?

Zechariah’s song is full of hope for the future. And as he looks down at John, he proudly tells everyone what his son’s role will be:

And you, my little son,
will be called the prophet of the Most High,
because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
You will tell his people how to find salvation
through forgiveness of their sins.
Because of God’s tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace. (v. 76-79)

I love the phrase “the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us.” John knew that the full weight of heaven was about to crush earth. That’s a scary thought for messy humans. But because of Jesus, we wouldn’t be crushed by wrath.

We’d be crushed by grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Questions to Ponder:

Have you ever made assumptions about people that turned out not to be true? What assumptions have others made about you?

What images come to mind when you hear the phrase, “the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us”?

—

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Joseph Jumps Head-First Into The Drama

Devotional for Monday, December 9th

Today's Bible Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

The Christmas story unfolds slowly, with new characters popping up with every turn of the page. We began the story last week, but there's still one leading player we haven't met yet: Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.

Luke tells the Christmas story from the perspective of Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary. To get the scoop on Joseph, we have to flip our Bibles over to the book of Matthew. The Christmas story is really lots of smaller stories that all intersect at a baby in a manger. It's a reminder that God always has more than one pot on the stove. We never know how he's going to bring everything together!

Joseph is a character that can fade into the background if we let him. Not because he has a small part, but because of the kind of person he was. Joseph was a doer. He never drew attention to himself. Not one spoken word from Joseph is recorded in the Bible. We see him in action, taking care of his family in whatever way he could.

Joseph was a good man, but not a perfect man. (That honor would be reserved for his son!) After he found out his bride-to-be was pregnant, Matthew tells us:

Joseph...did not want to expose her to public disgrace, [so] he had in mind to divorce her quietly." (v. 19)

This was an honorable thing to do, especially in a culture where women could be shamed so easily. But I wonder—did Joseph take the time to listen to Mary's side of the story? Or was he ready to cut his losses and move on?

Matthew tells us that an angel visits Joseph and gives him a message like the one Mary received. But where Mary got a visit from an angel in person, Joseph saw the angel in a dream. Why the difference? I don't know, but it's interesting that the Joseph in the Old Testament had a gift of interpreting dreams. Maybe this Joseph was living up to his namesake.

After Joseph wakes from the dream, he had a decision to make. The angel told Joseph, "do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife." But I wonder if Joseph still considered walking away from it all. Joseph seemed like a quiet man who preferred a drama-free life. Would he want to invite this chaos into his home?

Yes! The next thing we know, Mary and Joseph are headed on an adventure to Bethlehem. It would be a long, tiring journey. Joseph would have to lead his family on a wild escape to Egypt to avoid an evil king. It would also mean being a father to Jesus, which couldn't have been an easy task. How does a broken man be a dad to the savior of the world? (And then you have the whole "losing Jesus at the temple" incident!)

We don't know how long Joseph lived or the way he died. But as Jesus grew, Joseph must have looked at his son in amazement. And I'm sure he thanked God for including him in the adventure.

Questions to Ponder:

When you read Matthew 1:18-25, what kind of picture do you get of Joseph?

There is some drama that should be avoided. There is some drama that God invites us into. How can we tell the difference? (If you have an answer, please tell me because I really want to know!)

—

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Mary and Liz Save Christmas

Devotional for Friday, December 6th

Today’s Bible Reading: Luke 1:39-56

This week, we've been introduced to the leading players of the Christmas drama. We've met Zechariah and Elizabeth, an aging couple who finds out that their lifelong prayer for a child would finally be answered. And yesterday, we saw Gabriel deliver news to Mary that she would give birth to the long-awaited Messiah. The story is getting exciting, but today's reading is a brief pause to catch our breath. It's a sweet moment of celebration between two women.

After Gabriel tells Mary the news, Mary packs up her things and goes to visit Elizabeth. Mary and Liz were related in some way, probably cousins. Mary has just been given life-altering news. There are a million things to do, but the first thing she does is to visit her cousin. She knew Elizabeth was in a similar situation and could offer her encouragement.

It's important to have people in our lives who encourage us. I'm sure there were a thousand voices shouting discouraging words at Mary. That doesn't mean everyone was against her. When unexpected news comes out, we humans tend to go into "panic mode." People with the best of intentions start offering advice without love to go along with it. In a sea of voices, Mary sought out Elizabeth's. And when Mary arrives at Elizabeth's home, we see why:

In a loud voice [Elizabeth] exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" (v. 42-45)

Elizabeth's joy is so contagious that it has already been passed down to her unborn son. John leaps in the womb, joining in on the celebration. And Mary is so encouraged that she bursts into a song of praise.

I love Elizabeth's humble attitude. She waited a lifetime to have a child. When she finally got pregnant after all those years, she could have made things all about her. But she didn't. She put the spotlight on Mary. She offered support and encouragement to her younger cousin when she needed it most.

Luke says that Mary visited Elizabeth when Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy. Mary stayed with her for about three months. This is a guess, but I think Mary stayed until John was born. I think Mary wanted to celebrate this joyful event with her cousin.

Reading this scene reminds me to pause and celebrate Jesus during this busy season. Even with so much to do, Mary & Liz took the time to save Christmas in their hearts.

Questions to Ponder:

Who is your "Elizabeth"—someone you go to when you need encouragement? Is there anyone who needs to hear your encouraging voice?

How can you take some time this season to celebrate Jesus the way Mary and Elizabeth did?

—

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Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

Devotional for Thursday, December 5th

Today’s Bible Reading: Luke 1:26-38

One of my favorite TV shows growing up was Touched By An Angel. I loved the end of every episode when Monica would reveal that she's an angel. Her face would glow and she'd speak words of comfort that lifted the spirits of the person she was visiting.

In the Bible, visits from angels were very different from this experience. Their presence often sparked confusion and doubt in the people they visited. But Mary, the mother of Jesus, reacted quite contrary to this when the angel Gabriel visited her.

Sometimes Protestants try to steer clear of Mary. Because we don't want to "Hail Mary," we go to the other extreme and undervalue her part in the Christmas story. But there is a lot we can learn from this young woman, and I want to be like her in the way I respond to God's call on my life.

Like Zechariah, Mary was startled by Gabriel's appearance. That gives me some hope because I'm sure I would jump out of my skin if an angel ever tapped me on the shoulder. (I am now feeling very uneasy sitting all alone in my office!) When Gabriel tells Mary that she will give birth to Jesus, she has some questions. This is also similar to Zechariah's response. God (through Gabriel) punishes Zechariah for his doubt. But he responds with gentleness to Mary. Why the difference?

Zechariah wanted proof. "How can I be sure of this?" he asks. Mary's question seems to be just that. An honest question. "How can this be when I am a virgin?" Gabriel patiently gives Mary an answer. And, knowing that it may sound crazy, ends with, "Nothing will be impossible with God." (v. 37, ESV)

I also think this shows that God deals with us as individuals. Like children, we need different things from God at different times. Zechariah was an old man who had been in vocational ministry his whole life. He risked growing callous to God, as all of us in that line of work do. Zechariah needed a reminder of God's power. Mary was a young teenager who would now face public scorn for being pregnant out of wedlock. She needed a reminder of God's gentleness.

After Gabriel answers Mary, she does something that very few people in the Bible (and life) do. She accepts the answer. Mary doesn't hem or haw as Moses or Gideon or Jonah did. She says, Okay, let's do this.

There were still a lot of unanswered questions. Mary would somehow have to tell Joseph about this. Would he believe her? Even if he did, they faced a long, uncertain road ahead. But Mary considered herself blessed to be chosen by God to do something wonderful.

Questions to Ponder:

When God calls you to do something, how do you typically respond? What prevents you from responding like Mary?

What attribute of God do you need to be reminded of today? His power? His kindness? His gentleness? His justice? Ask God to reveal that part of him to you.

—

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The Next Right Thing

Devotional for Wednesday, December 4th

Today’s Bible Reading: Luke 1:5-25

God loves to begin stories with the unlikeliest of people taking center stage. Whether it's a shepherd boy (David), a cowardly man (Gideon), or an immigrant woman (Ruth), God loves calling on people who the world overlooks. In the Christmas story, he chooses an unlikely couple to start things off.

Zechariah and Elizabeth have faced disappointment in life. The years have passed them by, and now, old and gray, they are still childless. Despite this, they haven't given up on following God. They committed their lives to "observing all the Lord's commands and decrees blamelessly." (v. 6)

Zechariah was a priest, and one day he was chosen to go into the temple and burn incense. This wasn't a common occurrence. A priest got to do this maybe once in his lifetime. When Zechariah enters the temple, he sees a magnificent sight. The angel Gabriel! Gabriel informs Zechariah that he and Elizabeth will soon have a baby boy named John. John will prepare the way for Jesus.

Zechariah can hardly believe this and wants some kind of sign from the angel. (And Gabriel obliges by taking away his voice!) We might find it funny that Zechariah needed a sign from Gabriel. Isn't this frightening angel proof enough? But after so many disappointments, I can't blame Zechariah for being skeptical of something that sounds too good to be true.

The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth reminds me of two things. The first is that God's timing is a real thing. When God doesn't answer a prayer, some people, to make you feel better, may say, "Well, maybe it's not a 'no.' Maybe it's a 'not yet.'" That can be annoying to hear, and in most cases, doesn't do anything to make you feel better. But in Zechariah and Elizabeth's case, it was true. They were the first "domino" in God's Christmas story. The dominoes took awhile to set up, but once he pushed that first one over, it was a marvel to see.

The second is that our faithfulness matters. Despite Zechariah and Elizabeth's disappointment, they continued to get up every morning. They kept taking their next step toward God. This is not easy, and something I admire about them. The people we come face to face with every day are fighting battles we know nothing about. For some, gathering the courage to greet another day is a victory in itself.

As Anna sings in Frozen 2 (which I haven't seen yet but listened to the soundtrack!):

I won't look too far ahead
It's too much for me to take
But break it down to this next breath
This next step
This next choice is one that I can make

So I'll walk through this night
Stumbling blindly toward the light
And do the next right thing

It's one reason to be kind to everyone, especially during this season.

Questions to Ponder:

Why do you think God chooses unlikely people to work through?

Are you facing any disappointment right now? How can you do the "next right thing" despite not knowing what the future holds?

—

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My Favorite Bible Verse(s)

Devotional For Tuesday, December 3rd

Today’s Bible Reading: Luke 1:1-4

"What's your favorite Bible verse?"

I've always resisted answering that question. It seemed weird to me to rip one verse out of the Bible and claim it as a favorite. (And yet, I do this all the time with movies. I couldn't tell you a thing about the plot of The Terminator, but I'll quote "I'll be back.")

A couple of years ago, I realized that I did have a favorite Bible verse. It probably won't be found on any "Top 10 Favorite Bible Verses" list. And it may not be as comforting as Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." But it does give me confidence that the story of Jesus is true.

To be fair, my favorite Bible verse is actually four verses. These verses kick off the Christmas story, but most of the time, we skip over them to get to the "good stuff." Here they are, written by a man named Luke:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. - Luke 1:1-4

There's not much "pazazz" in those verses. They are quite dull. And yet, they spark a feeling in me that I can't explain. A feeling of hope. A feeling of Christmas.

Luke was not one of Jesus' disciples. He was a Gentile doctor who launched a full investigation into the life of Jesus. He wrote a detailed report of his findings for his friend Theophilus. We don't really know who Theophilus was. Some people think he was a high-ranking Roman official. Whoever he was, he wanted to know more about Jesus, and Luke got to work drawing up "an orderly account."

Luke wants Theophilus to know that he's not the first person to write about the life of Jesus. Many other accounts are circling around, and Luke will draw from them. He'll also interview people who saw Jesus in action, including Mary, Jesus' mother. Next week, we'll look at a secret Mary told Luke. I'm thankful she did because it became one of the most beautiful verses in scripture.

But for now, we can begin the Christmas story with the full assurance that Luke has our backs. He doesn't start his story with, "Once upon a time…" He doesn't admonish us to "just have faith and believe." Luke wants us to know with certainty that the things we've heard about Jesus are true.

Questions to Ponder:

Are there any parts of the Christmas story that you have trouble believing?

If you could ask Dr. Luke one thing about his investigation into the life of Jesus, what would it be?

—

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Where Are You, Christmas?

Devotional for Monday, December 2nd

Today’s Bible Reading: John 1:1-5, 14

I have a friend who loves Christmas and wants to soak up as much of this season as possible. He looks forward to Halloween because it means he can start playing Christmas music the next day. Although I laugh at this, I am a bit jealous. I wish I could get caught up in the magic of Christmas as easily as he does.

I want to get into the Christmas spirit, but there are so many distractions. This wasn't a problem when I was a kid. Christmas was something I anticipated with great excitement. I remember counting down the days with my grandma by saying, "Today is Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve!" (That would be December 20th by my logic.) I joined in with the Chipmunks when they sang, I can hardly stand the wait, Please Christmas, don't be late. As I get older, though, I wonder if Christmas wouldn't mind being a little late, so that I don't miss it. It all goes by too fast.

If you also have trouble finding the Christmas spirit, the disciple John offers us some comfort. John doesn't begin his Christmas story with angels, shepherds, or Magi. The nativity scene is nowhere to be found in his version. John reminds us that Christmas has been around since eternity:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3)

When John talks about "the Word," he's referring to Jesus. Jesus was with God since before the beginning of time. And it was always God's plan to send us Jesus so that he could save us from our mess. I love the way the Message version puts it:

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. (John 1:14)

Christmas was moving day for Jesus. It was the day he left heaven and moved into our neighborhood.

For the next few weeks, we're going to look at the story of Christmas. But before we even start, I want to give you permission to "fail" at Christmas this year. It's okay not to get everything right. It's okay to miss a party. It's okay to skip a few days of this devotional. (Just don't tell me!)

John reminds us that no matter how busy things get, it's impossible to miss Christmas because Christmas can't be confined to a date. We can celebrate Christmas on December 26th just as easily as we can on December 25th. We can celebrate Jesus on a hot July day, or when we're passing out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween.

You can look up at the stars—heaven's Christmas lights that have been kept up since creation—and remember why Jesus moved into our neighborhood.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (v. 5)

Jesus moved in so we wouldn't be left out.

Questions to Ponder:

How do you rank on the "Christmas spirit" scale?

What stressors and distractions do you have going into this season? How can you lean into the grace of Jesus during this time?

—

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