In HIs Word Advent Reading -12-1-2020

 This is something that I read this morning in Luke  chapter 1.  You can read the chapter first  or listen to it on the video blog, then join us in celebration as we count down to Christmas with this  advent devotional reading. 

December 1st, 2020 In His Word Advent for Daily Reading 

The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise

46 Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47     How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
    to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
    and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
    and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and his children forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. 58 And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

59 When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior[h]
    from the royal line of his servant David,
70 just as he promised 

    through his holy prophets long ago.
71 Now we will be saved from our enemies
    and from all who hate us.
72 He has been merciful to our ancestors
    by remembering his sacred covenant—
73 the covenant he swore with an oath
    to our ancestor Abraham.
74 We have been rescued from our enemies
    so we can serve God without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
    for as long as we live.

76 “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,[i]

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

John was greatly over looked. I feel as if we skip over the John prophecy in order to get to Jesus. It is crucial to who Jesus is, though we do not often read it through from the preaching or the teaching of Christmas or Christ's story... I wonder why? 

If we had stopped and listened to God, we as man, we would know who this voice calling in the wilderness was. We would know that he was sent by God from an early age, was separated and sanctified for holiness and righteousness. We would know that John was a prophet of the Most High and we would know that He sent John first to open the doorway to repentance and to know we need it. He gave us the light to see Christ as who He is. He showed us the way to go Home to our God. 

But they do not focus on this, only on Jesus. Well, considering God saw fit to send John first, I believe that it was important and so today , I will thank God for John's faithful life, even unto the end! From that kick n the womb to the time his head rolled He was faithful to the Christ, to God Himself. 

In Jesus name.