Mary

Sharing Christmas Joy

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And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit Luke 1:41 ESV

In some ways Mary was unlike anyone else on earth. Who else can say that God entrusted to them the baby Jesus? But in some ways Mary was just like every one of us. She did not have any special standing or ability that caused God to choose her. We in some ways are all given the same opportunity that Mary had to surrender to God so that His Son can be born in us.

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When Mary went to visit her cousin she did not preach a sermon, or bring expensive gifts to impress Elizabeth. But the difference that the life of Jesus within her had already made brought joy to into their meeting!

 

So that has me wondering and asking the question: Does the presence of Jesus in my life give joy to the lives of others?” If God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son for me, then what have I given to others today as an expression of that gift?

Mary I Have News – A New Christmas song

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

In our preparation for this year’s Christmas program we wanted to begin the presentation where God began it: in Nazareth. The surprising announcement to Mary by the angel Gabriel that she was to miraculously bear God’s own Son was the opening scene of all God was to give the world in Bethlehem. But much to our surprise, no such song existed. Not one Christmas carol that we could find was dedicated even slightly to that scene and so I wrote a simple song about the amazing news Mary heard on that day. I pray that this may be a blessing to you as well.

Songs of Christmas

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“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation            Luke 1:46-50

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Christmas is about the songs God gives. Mary sang her song when she heard the news of the Child who was to be born. God sent a song with angels for shepherds and light for people in darkness. God chose Bethlehem, the city of the shepherd David whose songs make up the book of Psalms.  I know a little of the darkness of barns and remember walking every morning to the barn across our dirt road long ago.  I would first light a little stub of a candle and put it on the beam near the stall. Then I would put a little corn and hay into the feed-trough and gently wash the cow with the warm water that I had brought over in the milk pail. In a quiet and humble place just like that, our Lord Jesus was born among cattle and hay with maybe a barn cat or two to observe the scene. A young woman named Mary was giving birth in the stable with only Joseph by her side. In that moment the air was pierced by the music of the cry of one child who came to give His life for our world. If we tune our ears we will find that we can still hear that song of hope from the stable of Bethlehem 2000 years ago.