Merry Christmas loved ones!

I want to share with you THE PLAN OF HEAVEN by looking at the course of events leading up to the manger scene.  There was so much intense and daring faith that preceeded it.  Let’s look at some verses from Matthew and Luke and consider them.

To begin, we see Elizabeth who become pregnant in her old age after the Word of the LORD came through an angel to her husband, Zacharias.  In Luke 1:24 we see that Elizabeth hid herself for five months until Mary came to visit her.  Why?  Elizabeth may have believed, like many religious people of her day, that her barrenness was punishment for failing to satisfy some demand of the Law.  It’s true there was a curse awaiting those who failed to stay under the umbrella of the Law’s blessing, but tells us she was righteous and walked blamelessly in all the commandments.  Also, pregnancy for someone in their 50’s was socially unacceptable in those days, so fear would have driven her into seclusion, but that’s not the end of her story.  She began to prophesy by the Holy Spirit when Mary visited her and her baby leaped within her.  She proclaimed the blessing of the LORD to be at work.

Mary faced a similar situation.  First, she was visited by an angel.  She could have argued with the angel as Zacharias did, but instead, she boldly accepted the will of the LORD.  What faith to believe she could become pregnant without knowing a man!  It would be only a short time before anyone would see that she was with child.  That’s when the real pressure came.  Not only was it a matter of disgrace, but she could have been forced into exile or even face death.  No matter what, she and her unborn child could be “rejected among men.”

What about Joseph?  The Bible tells us that because he was a just and upright man anD didn’t want to make Mary a public example, he was going to put her away secretly.  But while he thought about these things, an angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife because that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  So, when Joseph was aroused from sleep, he did as the Angel of the LORD commanded anD took Mary as his wife, but did not know her until she had brought forth her firstborn Son JESUS.

And what bout Simeon’s faith?  He was very much in touch with God.  He knew the coming of the Anointed One was so imminent that that he would see Him before his own death.  At the very moment Mary and Joseph took Jesus into the temple for circumcision, Simeon was there to take the baby and declare for all to hear exactly Who he held in his arms.

Within moments, Anna an elderly prophetess who had spent over 80 years daily praying in the temple, was telling everyone about Jesus.  Word of Simeon’s prophecy had quickly spread!  Simeon and Anna had faith to wait.  They had faith to watch and recognize the LORD at His coming.  

The Bible records people of great fait who connected with THE PLAN OF HEAVEN for the first coming of the LORD.

During this Christmas season, determine to follow their examples and become a bold person of great faith, connecting with THE PLAN OF HEAVEN for the second coming of the LORD!

Merry Christmas dearly loved,

Lisa Gordon

Jesus City Church

Glastonbury, CT