Happy Christmas all! In the midst of all the festivities, the mince pies and mulled wine, the family gatherings and the Christmas dinners, I pray that the gospel of Jesus Christ would bring you and your families great joy this Christmas.
We often hear it said that the greatest gift we can receive for Christmas is Jesus, and how true that is. While I’m fairly confident that most of you reading this post know Jesus pretty well already, you might well be spending time with family or friends this Christmas who are yet to discover who he truly is. And of course, for us who know him already, there is always an invitation for us to know him in greater measure! As I was pondering what to put on Christmas cards this year, a couple verses came to mind and I felt the Lord whisper ‘I want people to know who I am’. And that’s my prayer for us all this season. That we would know him as Emmanuel, God with us. For He is our wonderful Counsellor, our Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace and we can rejoice for of the greatness of His government there will be no end. Hallelujah!
December can often bit of a reflective month as we come to end of one year and look ahead to the next. But I’m reminded of what the Lord was speaking to me at the end of last year that still feels just as pertinent today. So let me share something that I wrote on Christmas day last year:
During this advent season, I’ve been struck by Luke 1:31-38. It’s the passage where the Angel Gabriel tells Mary that she, a virgin, would conceive and give birth to a son who would be Jesus, the Messiah. Despite her circumstances, her response continually astounds me; ‘I am the Lord’s servant…May your word to me be fulfilled.’
She waited in hopeful expectation, yielded and trusting that God was able to do the impossible. Trusting that He was faithful to His word. And He was. He aways is.
The season of advent is one of expectancy and promise. And on this day, we remember the coming of the greatest promise. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (John 1vs14). Sooo many Old Testament prophesies fulfilled in a baby so humbly born and laid in a manger. Our Messiah, Saviour and Deliverer who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
But this morning, as I read this story again, a new verse stands out. It’s the words of Elizabeth to Mary:
Luke 1:45 ‘And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.’
Once again, Mary’s trust in the promise-giver hits me.
There are many promises the Lord has given each of us (and ultimately the promise of His return). But the journey of promise to fulfilment is rarely a straightforward one. I think about what it might have been like for Mary - a virgin, unmarried yet pregnant and carrying the son of God. Imagine trying to explain that to your friends and family! Then I think of Abraham, Joseph and Moses among so many others who carried a promise through highs and lows. But, we have reason to rejoice for we have a good Father and He who has promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23). Just as he was to Abraham, Joseph, Moses and Mary.
So again, I come back to Luke 1:45 and ‘Blessed is she who believed’. The Lord is pressing that we must be those who walk by faith and not by sight. It is imperative. Necessary. Critical. We are to be like Mary, that when the Lord speaks of the ‘humanly impossible’ happening, we would receive the words with faith and in hopeful expectation. We are simply to make our choice and believe the Lord’s narrative, for blessed is she who believed.
Through the highs and lows of 2024, the Lord has continually and faithfully reminded me of those words from Luke 1:45 ‘blessed is she who believed’. Those words still ring so true today. May we continue to be those who wait with hopeful expectation for all that the Lord has spoken, may we wait yielded and trusting Him who is faithful - He will bring to pass that which He has spoken!
Let us praise Him this Christmas, for He alone is Worthy.
Have a wonderful Christmas,
Katie
p.s. I happened to be listening to this as I was writing this post. There’s a spontaneous prophetic song at the end that felt apt. Worth a listen!
Blessings to you Katie at Christmas time and for the New Year 2025 … I love reading your sub stacks and will pray as you have shared 😍🥰😍🎄🍊🌟🕊️