Christian Reflection and Prayer

It seemed good to me … to write an orderly account for
you … that you may have certainty concerning the things
you have been taught (see Luke 1:3-4).

 

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas this year? I always
did. I’d hope and pray, but most years I’d look out the
window and only see the same old, brown grass and bare
trees. Sometimes we feel that same disappointment in our
Christmases. We get our hopes up; we make all our
preparations, but then we feel disappointed when the day
rolls around.

 

Maybe our problem is building our Christmas excitement
on uncertain things—a white Christmas, the perfect presents,
everyone getting along at Christmas time. Luke had
something different in mind when he wrote about the first
Christmas. 

 

Luke wasn’t your typical writer in the Bible though.
Unlike Matthew he wasn’t one of Jesus’ 12 disciples; he
never met Jesus face-to-face. He wasn’t even Jewish; he
was a Gentile physician from Antioch in Syria. He joined
Paul in his later missionary journeys. In Acts 16 notice
Luke’s commentary changes from “they went” in verse
six to “we went” in verse 11.

 

To write his Gospel and the earlier chapters of the book of
Acts, Luke gathered his information from interviews he had
with people who saw and heard Jesus, people who lived with
Him, ate and drank with Him. Being an educated man, Luke
didn’t get swept away by the ramblings of dreamy-eyed
followers of Jesus. He made sure to ask for historical
details and evidence from his witnesses—including Jesus’
mother Mary.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Almighty God, I want to learn more about that first Christmas.
Thank You for leaving us a record in the words of Jesus’
own mother Mary. Help me learn why Jesus was born and
why that matters for my life now. I pray in Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

 

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)