TIME - and GOD'S BREAK THROUGHS FOR US
Recently on the news they reported how the pandemic has impacted our sense of time and whether it seems to go faster or slower. Stress levels, age, and social interactions were all factors in our perception of how time was moving.
My friend Evelyn and I often joke because we live in a variety of time zones. We have the day on the calendar, whatever that is but our attention is often shifted to another time because of the writing we do and the advance timing that is necessary for writing, editing, printing, and distributing the meditation booklets across Canada and beyond.
This past week I was doing some framing of what we will be writing in December of this year so I’m already thinking about Christmas!! Help. What that did do was bring me to those lovely verses in Luke chapter 1 that give us the song Mary sang after she learned she would carry and give birth to Jesus, the promised Messiah.
In spite of all the unknowns, and even the massive problems that being unmarried and pregnant could bring her, she’s able to lift her eyes above those issues and see how God is at work in her life and beyond.
It’s an example that we can all benefit from today I think. We’ll take her words as a format as we come to God today. Let’s pray:
Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed
For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
Luke 1:46-49
Our hearts are lifted up to you today, God with praise for who You are and who You are to us. You are our Lord. You are our Saviour. You are the one who takes notice of us. Why that is, we’ll never quite understand but because You do, we are forever blessed and we thank You for that today.
Our circumstances are quite different from those of the Virgin Mary but still challenging for us. As she lifted her heart to remember that You are the mighty God who had done great things for her, would You help us today to just pause and remember how You’ve also done great things for us. Over and over again in a wide variety of seasons we’ve turned to You and You have been faithful. You never let us down, even when we don’t always understand why things have to be the way they are. We can lean on You and find strength in You and watch You do amazing things on our behalf. Thank you.
He shows mercy from
generation to generation
to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has
done tremendous things!
He has scattered the
proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down
princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
Luke 1:50-52
Not only in our own personal lives but in human history we see God how You have been faithful to those who turned to You for help. It’s a reminder we need today where the needs across the face of the earth are so huge. Me need your mighty arm to do tremendous things once again.
We’ve seen governments and cultures come and go and we recognize how vulnerable our own countries and governments and ways of life are unless we put our trust in You. Kings come and go but You are eternal God and Your truth will always be the truth. Your way will always be the way regardless of what arrogant peoples and government leaders decide they want life to look like. We pray again today for you to turn the hearts and minds of our politicians back to You and to governing according to Your commands.
He has filled the hungry with
good things and sent the rich
away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
Luke 1:53-55
We know that the choices of many have impact, particularly on the “little powerless ones” and so we ask again today God that You will fill the hungry with good things. We pray for blessing on Your Chosen People Israel and for all those who belong to You because they have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. We rely on Your mercy and Your promises that will last forever.
And so we praise You today God and our Spirit rejoices in You, God our Saviour. Amen
Thank God we don’t have to wait until Christmas to allow the wonder and the joy of Jesus’ birth to warm our hearts and put a smile on our face. God is with us. God is for us. Let’s live in that confidence and that joy today.
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