Christian Reflection and Prayer

They went on their way, and the star they had seen in the
east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place
where the child was. When they saw the star, they were
overjoyed. – Matthew 2:9-10

In Psalm 19, David gives voice to the stars:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim
the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth
speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is
no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the
ends of the world. (Vss. 1-4)

If you have ever stood outside at night and looked up at
the canopy of stars, away from the city, away from noise,
you may have seen that the stars have a message. In
silence they speak, and their voice is thunderous.

The star of Bethlehem, a sign in the sky noted by the
Magi, may have been a miraculous event, matching the
miraculous entry of the Savior into the world, or it may
have been a natural astronomical phenomenon, used by
God as a sign. In either case, the heavens were speaking
in a unique way about a unique world-changing event.
Should that come as any surprise?

But note that only the observant recognized the sign, and
in this case, they were outsiders. God drew outsiders
toward Bethlehem with a word that he had placed in the
sky. Don’t ever doubt that God is speaking to the “outsider,”
and that those who seek will find. Christmas is both for
believers, and for those who have yet to come to faith. In
those days, it was a celestial sign that attracted the
attention of outsiders. Today, there are many signs that
Jesus accomplished something unique in the world, acts
arise out of and point to his holy character.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for putting your clear markers into this
world and into our lives so we can know that you are real,
and what you intend to do. May this Christmas be a new
marker for me.

(by Mel Lawrenz)

And he will be called…Mighty God. – Isaiah 9:6

In the Old Testament, some of the prophecies
about Christ are mysterious statements. They
were so bold and so large that they were
treasured through the generations, until they were
fulfilled and finally understood. Isaiah’s oracle
about a son who would be born—Wonderful
Counselor, Prince of Peace, and all the rest—was
one of those landmark prophecies. In that moment
of inspiration, Isaiah revealed he would be Mighty God.

After Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension,
his followers would piece together what he said and
did, and conclude that Jesus really was one with God
the Father in a way that is appropriate to call him divine.
The doctrine of the Trinity would be defined later, but in
Isaiah’s prophesy about the coming one are the seeds
of this truth.

In the Jewish tradition, nothing was more important
than belief in the “oneness” of God. Not two gods, not a
thousand gods, but one and only one God. So what
could happen when, in Bethlehem itself, Magi from the
east came bearing gifts fit for a king, but who also
worshipped him? Why did Jesus allow fishermen in a
boat worship him after he calmed a storm? Or Mary
falling at Jesus’ feet in worship in the garden after his
resurrection? Or the disciple Thomas falling at his feet,
saying, “My Lord and my God?”

Nobody at the start of Jesus’ life, nor during his adult
ministry, even hinted at anything suggesting there is
more than one God. But because of who God is;
because God is higher than human comprehension;
because God said “us” from the very beginning:
“Let us make man in our image” (Gen. 1:26); because
the coming one would be called Immanuel, “God with
us,” (Matt. 1:22-23) we can believe that Christmas
represents the true entry of God into human affairs.
The same God who created humanity, took humanity
on himself when it suited his purposes—to save that
same humanity. The God who created the world,
entered it through a human birth in the town of
Bethlehem.

Not any kind of god would do that. Only the one, true,
Mighty God.

Prayer:

Lord I believe you are mighty. I believe you can do
whatever you wish. I believe you came in the flesh
in Jesus.

( by Mel Lawrenz)

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read Luke 1:14-17

TEXT: "Many will rejoice at his birth, for he will
be great before the Lord." (Luke 1:14-15)


Stringing up Christmas lights is hard work,
especially when you are up on that ladder on a
cold, windy day in December. But it's all worth it
when evening comes. You summon your children
and have them stand far enough back to take it
all in, and then ... you throw the switch. Those
bright lights bring them such joy; it's a joy many
of your neighbors will end up sharing too.

How wonderful it must have been for Zechariah to
hear that the child for which they had waited so
long will bring them great joy, and not great
heartache. But it's even bigger than that. Their
son will not only be a great joy to them, he will be
a source of great joy to many other people as well.

He will be great because God will set him apart
and fill him with the Holy Spirit, even from his
mother's womb. The Spirit will equip him to
accomplish his great God-given mission. As the
angel tells Zechariah, "He will turn many of the
children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will
go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah ...
to make ready for the Lord a people prepared"
(see Luke 1:16-17).

John will expose our selfishness and show us why
we need a Savior, so we will trust in the promised
Son of God. It is He alone who will work out our
salvation in His perfect life and innocent suffering
and death. Clearly, it was worth waiting all those
years to have such a son as John.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for sending Your
Son into our world, and preparing people like
Zechariah and Elizabeth to be parents of His
forerunner John. Give me courage to walk with You
in faith as You order my steps. In Jesus' name,
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)