Daily Advent Reading
This is our Digital Advent Calendar for 2023. We would hope you could join in daily during the season of Advent. Every day’s Advent Gift box will have a new Scripture to read and reflect on. Every Thursday there will be a Children’s Ministry Activity for you and your children. Every Tuesday there will be a question for adults to enjoy and engage on our Facebook page.
Luke 1:26-33
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Devotional
When we were young children, many of us used our imagination to imagine ourselves accomplishing great things or achieving great notoriety and fame. It may have been a child-like wish to see ourselves doing great things, but we imagined it nonetheless. As we grow in maturity, especially in our spiritual lives we hope and pray that our significance is that we can be useful for God. Having said all that, when God asks a special task of us, it is our genuine humility that leads us to being surprised that God has “chosen” us.
Mary, the mother of Jesus possessed an attitude of genuine humility. She was truly unsure and unsettled by her visit from the angel Gabriel, and the news that he brought. This led to the questions that filled her heart: "How can I be favored by God? Why would one of God’s angels visit me?"
Mary's faithful humility was an essential part of what made her the person God could trust as the mother of the Messiah. It is that same kind of genuine humility that is also essential to our being fit to do great things for our King!
Prayer
Loving and gracious God, as Your children give us genuine humility. We don’t want a false humility that causes us to see ourselves as deficient and unfit to do your work or to answer your call. Help us to recognize Even with all of my drawbacks let Your power and grace work in me. Please use me to bring You glory and to bless Your people. In Jesus' name. Amen.