Obtaining Mercy

(A Countdown to Jesus’ Birthday)

On the twelfth day of nativity – God Provided Himself!

God’s provision has been our theme for the past twelve days. Moment by moment, God provided everything needed for the birth of Christ.

We do well to celebrate His birthday each year; but Jesus’ birth is really the middle of the incredible story of God’s plan of redemption.

This plan started before He even created the earth:

I Peter 1:18-21 – “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world…”

Genesis 22:8 “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb…”

You see, God didn’t decide to send Jesus to be born in that manger to fix what man had broken. He decided to send His Son before He ever created man. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection were the plan, not the solution!

I cannot tell you why God would breathe His breath of life into creatures that He knew would not be obedient. I can only tell you what the Word of God tells me:

• God created me and loves me.
• He knew I would be a sinner, and would be unable to live with Him in Heaven.
• So before He created the first man Adam, He made a way to redeem me and reconcile me back to Himself.
• He chose to send His only son, Jesus, to be the perfect Lamb, to fulfill every requirement to be my sacrifice and my Saviour, just so I can fellowship with Him for all of eternity.

As we celebrate His birth tomorrow, may we be ever mindful of the Divine plan behind it all – the salvation of our never-dying soul, the reconciliation back to our Father and an eternity in Heaven with Him.

I pray that you have accepted His salvation. I hope you can celebrate the birth of YOUR Saviour tomorrow. If you don’t know Him, please leave me a comment or message me directly. I’d love to talk with you about it.

Wishing you a Merry CHRISTmas!

(A Countdown to Jesus’ Birthday)

On the eleventh day of nativity – God provided safe passage when Jesus’ life was threatened by Herod.

Matthew 2:13-14, 19-21 – “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt…
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.”

Our safety – both physical and spiritual – is from the Lord. When we walk in obedience to His direction, as Joseph and Mary did when they headed to Egypt, we are promised the safety of the Lord. Neither the distance traveled, the difficult circumstances, nor can the uncomfortable conveyance can thwart our reaching our promised destination.

Scripture does not share much of their time in Egypt. Even in Its pages, they had anonymity for the years they spent there.

But the one thing we do know is this: they had a sure refuge in the time of danger.

And we do too.

We can safely leave our travel details to the Divine Travel Agent…not even the tiniest detail of our trip will escape His notice.

Do not walk in fear, my friend. God will not desert you on your journey, but will lead you faithfully each step of the way.

Psalm 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”

(A Countdown to Jesus’ Birthday)

On the tenth day of nativity – God provided a warning to His worshippers to avoid danger.

Can you imagine what the neighbors of the wise men thought, when they began to discuss their journey to follow the star of Jesus?

I’m sure some folks called them fools. Others probably branded them as religious fanatics. They were leaving their families and livelihoods behind to set out on a nearly 2-year journey to find the Christ child. They were using their fortunes and probably risking their health and well-being to take this trip.

However, they made it safely, didn’t they? They arrived, and were directed to the house where Jesus was living with His parents.

Then, when it was time to go, God protected them yet again. He warned them in a dream to not return to tell Herod where the child was. They departed, safely, a different way into their own country.

Matthew 2:12 – “And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.”

The Lord protects those who love Him. He will speak to us through His Word, through counsellors, through that still, small Voice of His Spirit to lead us safely to the land of our destination.

There is no need to fear when you follow the Saviour.

He will take care of you.

Luke 12:24 “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?”

(A Countdown to Jesus’ Birthday)

On the ninth day of nativity – God provided wealth, well in advance of their need.

When Jesus was born, His star settled over His humble birthplace. That was when God brought His birth to the attention of men who lived very, very far away. That night, they began a long, nearly-two-year journey to worship the Christ child.

Matthew 2:1-2 “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

Along with their joyous and humble worship, the wise men also brought costly gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. While these were representative of the life, death and ministry of Christ, they were also a financial blessing from God.

As soon as the wise men left, Joseph, Mary and Jesus began their journey into Egypt, where they lived until the death of Herod. That journey, as well as their housing, provisions, clothing, and animals for the next several years would have, no doubt, been financed by those wonderful gifts from the wise men.

How good is our God?!! I may be facing a need 2 years from now for which He is right now making provision. Even more poignant is the thought that I may have a need today for which He provided 2 years ago, or perhaps even further back than that!

Our God sees the end from the beginning. Time is laid out before Him like a scroll and He sees all of our lives, intertwined and separate, our birth to our death, in one sweeping glance.

We can trust Him to meet every need. No matter how quickly our crisis arrives, it does not catch the Eternal One by surprise!

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

(A Countdown to Jesus’ Birthday)

On the eight day of nativity – God provided other women to assure Mary of God’s plan.

Women thrive on community much more than men do. Relationships are very important to us. And our God knows that, because He is the one Who made us that way.

So, in His kindness, He sent not one woman to provide comfort to Mary’s heart, but two.

The first was her cousin, Elizabeth.

Luke 1:42-45 “And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

What sweet words of assurance to the fragile, wondering, fearful heart of Mary.

The second woman to give encouragement to Mary was Anna.

Luke 2:38 “And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

Anna’s words confirmed again all that the angels had said to Joseph and Mary.

No matter how much faith we have in God’s promises to us, it is always a blessing to have a word of encouragement from another woman who understands.

God is faithful to meet the spiritual and physical needs we have, but He is also so kind to meet the emotional needs of our heart, as well.

Be sure to surround yourself with women who know the Lord, who believe as you do, but more importantly, who believe the Word of God.

They will provide encouragement and leadership, and will be an example to you. Often, they also have a shoulder to cry on, or a voice of praise and confirmation of the work that God is doing in your life.

Life is too short to surround yourself with snarky, negative people. Find those who lift up others with their words and who remind you of the goodness of God in your life.

(A Countdown to Jesus’ Birthday)

On the seventh day of nativity – God provided confirmation of His promise to Jesus’ parents.

Joseph and Mary had 9 months to get used to the idea of her giving birth to the Christ child.

Yet as those months slowly passed for them, I’m sure they must have wondered within themselves, and probably aloud to each other, just how it would all be brought to pass.

Afterward, as the emotions of childbirth flooded Mary, she pondered everything in her heart, kept her own counsel; but she must have had a moment or two of wondering if she had remembered correctly everything the angel said to her, if her son would truly be great and would be the Deliverer of Israel.

Just a short time later, as they went into the temple to offer up a sacrifice for the birth of their son, God sent Simeon to confirm all that the angel had told Mary and Joseph.

Luke 2:25-32 “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

How merciful God is to send us reassurance when we most need it.

Has the Lord given you a promise? Has He whispered some truth into your heart as you read His Word and meditated on His Scriptures.

If so, don’t doubt His Word. If He promised it, He will perform it.

And, I have no doubt that He will give further assurances and confirmations of His promise to you, just as He did to Joseph and Mary.

II Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

(A Countdown to Jesus’ Birthday)

On the sixth day of nativity – God provided messengers to share the story of His Son.

A little over two thousand years ago, those messengers were angels.

However, as soon as the message was passed to the shepherds, they became the carriers of the glorious good news of Christ’s birth.

Luke 2:17-18 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

Since that first dramatic delivery, the message of Christ has been given to us to share.  We are now the messengers of His wonderful story that goes so much farther than the dramatic, yet simple scene that night long ago in Bethlehem.

We are the carriers of the story of His death and resurrection, as well as His birth. He has entrusted His story of salvation to us.  If we don’t share it, who will?      

Romans 10:13-15 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

At this time of year, we love to retell the story of the angelic messengers, but we have the privilege and responsibility to share Christ’s story all year long.

How will we give out His glorious message of atonement today?