With the help of a wonderfully written devotional book, I reflected on the true miracle of the Christmas story throughout Advent. I learned how God used ordinary people, much like you and I, to change the course of human history. And he used things we learn and do every day ... hope. patience. prayer. trust. watching God do the impossible. obedience. praise. wonder.
Elizabeth had hoped for a child for many years, expecting one for many years before God answered her prayers. She trusted God's plan for her life. Zechariah and Joseph, both suddenly thrown into a world where caring for a son was becoming their priority, spent many hours in prayer because they didn't know what to do. Mary watched God do the impossible when he gave her, a virgin, a baby boy, our Savior. She placed immense trust in God's plan, because her baby, her firstborn son, would be taken from her and given into the hands of the Father. Zechariah obeyed God's instructions. The name chosen for his son, a prophet, was not a name widely used at the time. Joseph patiently stayed with Mary, trusting God to lead him in the right way, considering a divorce. Mary and Elizabeth both praised and wondered, aloud and in prayer, the works of God's handiwork in their lives, doing things they thought were impossible. The devotional book, "Refocus - 25 Days of Devotions for Christmas & Advent" taught me that Christmas isn't about the presents, no matter how numerous or wonderful they are, or the brightness of your outdoor lights, or the height of your Christmas tree, but the birth of a baby. A humble baby, who doesn't care about the presents or the bustle of the holiday season.
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