The Adventures of Christmas Esimerkki

December 7th

I don’t know if you realize this, but most people don’t get to have an angel tell them they are pregnant.

Gabriel only appears three times in the Bible. He comes to: the prophet Daniel, the priest Zechariah and the peasant Mary.

So this is a BIG deal! She is essentially told that her baby is going to be the supreme leader of all the land. Considering the Roman rulers of the time and then imagining a day when her son would reclaim the throne of his ancestor, David, it's understandable Mary was probably overwhelmed.

So how does Mary reconcile God’s promise that Jesus will sit on a throne with his first crib being a food box? Bethlehem is only thirty minutes away from Jerusalem. They are close to the throne, close to King Herod’s massive temple, yet so humbly far away.

Do you ever feel far away from Gods promises? Does it ever feel like what God has said will never come true… for you? When we don’t understand God’s promise, we won’t understand God’s plan. God’s promise to Mary was never about Herod’s temple. God’s promise was so much bigger than an earthly throne. God’s promise was so much bigger than what Mary could hope or dream. But the plan wasn’t a path she would have chosen or signed up for. While we get excited about God's promises, we rarely get excited about God’s process and plan.

Christmas reminds us that it’s important to be flexible. It’s important to not judge the manger moments prematurely. Keep your heart open and look for how God is at work in your life.

My family did this for a hurting family one year by dropping off a surprise on their porch every day for twelve days. It mirrored the twelve days of Christmas. My kids loved trying to bless the family without getting caught. Consider doing the same thing for a neighbor.