Christmas Devotional: 14th December 2020
Have you visited any friends or family recently?
At the moment it’s certainly a lot harder to spend time with loved ones, and for some of us it may be impossible this Christmas. Whatever situation you happen to be in, I hope it’s the case that you have someone to talk to and support you – however crazy things may be! In this passage we read that Mary, having just received the amazing (and crazily good) news that she would give birth to Christ, travels to the house of Zechariah to visit Elizabeth: to talk to, and perhaps get some support from, her relative.
As soon as Mary arrives and Elizabeth hears her greeting, John leaps for joy in his mother’s womb (v.41). What causes him to be so filled with joy at this moment? The importance and magnitude of the gift of God that Mary carries is so great that John, filled with the Holy Spirit (as promised in v.15), rejoices simply upon hearing the greeting of Mary. Just as John will prepare a way for the true light that is coming into the world, Mary’s greeting announces the arrival of this light; he will enter the world, born in the flesh, through Mary. Even before he is born, John rejoices in the coming of Jesus.
What does John’s rejoicing have to do with us? Jesus’ birth has as much significance today as it did to John and Elizabeth – shouldn’t our response be the same? The seed of God, the light of the world, has entered the world to redeem us. This truth is cause enough for rejoicing! There is such hope in this promise of Christ (that has been, and will be, fulfilled), that our response should be like Mary, Elizabeth, and John’s: loudest praise, utter awe, and sheer joy. How often we forget or diminish this amazing gift. But God calls us to rejoice in him, and this should give us ultimate joy.
As Mary worships and praises God for all he has done (v.46-55), we are once again reminded of his nature that has been revealed to humanity throughout history. It is God’s unchanging and eternal character that makes the gift of his Son even more awesome. God is just and holy, but we are under the curse of sin and justly deserve God’s wrath. God will, and does, execute judgement on those who oppose him (v.51-52), but is merciful to all those who recognise his authority and repent of their sin (v.50). God’s promises are faithful (v.54-55), and he blesses those who trust him (v.45,48).
This is the living God, the God that we serve. Let’s, like Mary, rejoice and worship the Lord for not only all he has done for us, but who he is. May we be challenged to rejoice always in the undeniable light of the world, and his faithful love for us.