Christian Reflection and Prayer

(Zechariah said) "because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light
to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death"
(Luke 1:78-79a).       Read Luke 1:76-79.

 

In Charles Dickens' book The Christmas Carol, Bob
Cratchit looks at his eldest son, nearly grown and about to
leave home, and tells his family, "But however and
whenever we part from one another, I am sure we shall
none of us forget poor Tiny Tim -- shall we -- or this first
parting that there was among us."

 

The first parting among my family was my father's death.
The next Christmas we tried hard to recapture the joy
and laughter of former Christmases, but we all felt the
empty place his parting had left behind.

 

In Zechariah's words of praise to God, he briefly turns to
speak of his son John and the great work God would
accomplish through him as Jesus' great prophet and
forerunner. But now he turns back to Jesus' far greater
work.

 

He describes Jesus as the sun that comes to us from
heaven. Just as the morning sun rises to scatter the
darkness of night, Jesus Christ will arise to shatter the
darkness of sin, doubt and death. Jesus comes to those
sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. They are
sitting because they have no power or hope; they have
given up the fight. But through His life, death and
resurrection, Jesus has scattered the shadow that death
casts across us. Raising us to our feet by faith, He sets
us moving toward heaven again. He guides our feet along
the way of peace that leads to God the Father's
presence in heaven-and a joyous eternal reunion with
our loved ones-those who have died in faith.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Lord Jesus, shine Your light on our darkness, comfort us
in our grief, and set our feet once again on the path of
peace -- the road to heaven. Amen.

 

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

(Zechariah said) "that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us" (Luke 1:71).
Read Luke 1:71-75.

 

Scattered among my Christmas memories are some dark
clouds. Several Christmases saw cancer and death stalking
our family. One year it hovered over my wife's father; several
years later it was my mother. That terrible enemy cast a
shadow over everything, attempting to swallow up our joy,
peace and light.

 

Of course, it doesn't take as formidable an enemy as death
to suck the joy out of Christmas. The nagging problems of
poor health, strained relationships, or financial struggles are
more than enough. That's why I love the third stanza of "It
Came upon the Midnight Clear."

 

"All you, beneath your heavy load, by care and guilt bent
low Who toil along a dreary way, with painful steps and slow:
Look up, for golden is the hour, come swiftly on the wing,
The Prince was born to bring you peace, of Him the angels
sing."

 

Zechariah carried that same thought as he praised God for
sending His Son to visit and redeem His people, "that we
should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all
who hate us."

 

The truth is we do have great and powerful enemies who are
out to get us. Satan tempted our first parents to sin. That sin
led to God's condemnation and resulted in death and hell.
But God did not abandon us to their heartless hands. He
sent His own all-powerful Son to rescue us.

 

Come back around for the Lenten devotions this coming
spring. Then you will see Zechariah's prophecy unfold, as
Jesus shows His great strength, against all of these bitter
enemies.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Gracious Father, we are surrounded by powerful enemies
who would destroy us, but You sent Your Son to win our
salvation by His perfect life, innocent suffering and death
and powerful resurrection. Keep us safe in this faith until
His return. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

(Zechariah said) "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He
has visited and redeemed His people" (Luke 1:68).
Read Luke 1:67-70.

 

As a child I had no problem going to church Christmas Eve,
because I knew the presents wouldn't come before midnight.
My problem came Christmas morning, after opening our
presents and playing with them, then to have to go to church
again. Obviously, at that time presents were the biggest part
of Christmas to me.

 

Did Zechariah have that same problem? After all, he had
been silent nine months, and finally got his speech back. If
it was you, what is the first thing you would talk about?
Wouldn't it be your child -- the one you had waited and
prayed about for so long?

 

But Zechariah said nothing about his child; all he could talk
about was that other Child, who stayed in his household the
last three months -- the Baby still growing in Mary's womb.
Zechariah shared his wife's amazement at how God has
come to visit His people, and this visit is not the way an
angel appears and then leaves. Instead, God remains,
becoming one of us, ready to spend a lifetime living with us.

But there's even more to the story. Not only has the Christ
Child come to live with us, He has come to redeem or
ransom us -- to buy us back from our slavery to sin, death
and hell. Zechariah spoke of the ransom payment that still
lay more than 30 years in the future. It was then when
Jesus would be nailed to a cross, on a hill outside of
Jerusalem. It is there that He will give His life to free us from
God's wrath and the eternal punishment of hell that we
deserve.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

 Heavenly Father, Christmas is about far more than presents,
decorations and parties. It is about Your Son coming into our
world to buy us back with His own life, death and resurrection.
Fill my mouth with praise to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)