Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 25
Friday


MARY'S
CHRISTMAS

READ:
Luke 1:26-33; 2:4-7
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It was anything but an idyllic, silent night on that cool Bethlehem evening when a scared teenager gave birth to the King of kings. Mary endured the pain of her baby's arrival without the aid of anything more than the carpentry-roughened hands of Joseph, her betrothed. Shepherds may have been serenaded in nearby fields by angels singing praises to the Baby, but all Mary and Joseph heard were the sounds of animals, birth agony, and the first cries of God in baby form. A high-magnitude star shone in the night sky above the outbuilding, but the manger scene was a dreary place for these two out-of-town visitors.

As Joseph laid the infant in Mary''s arms, a combination of wonder, pain, fear, and joy must have coursed through her heart. She knew, because of an angel's promise, that this tiny bundle was "the Son of the Highest" (Luke 1:32). As she peered through the semidarkness into His eyes and then into Joseph's, she must have wondered how she was going to mother this One whose kingdom would never end.

Mary had much to ponder in her heart on that special night. Now, over 2,000 years later, each of us needs to consider the importance of Jesus' birth and His subsequent death, resurrection, and promise to return. __Dave Branon
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`````````````````````Almighty God became a man````````````````
````````````````````````By lowly, humble birth;``````````````````
```````````````````And Mary treasured in her heart```````````````
````````````````This Gift of boundless worth. __Sper``````````````
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God came to live with us
so that we could live with Him.

**********Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 1:26-33; 2:47************

26 Now in the sixth month
the angel Gabriel was sent by
God to a city of Galilee
named Nazareth, 27 to a
virgin betrothed to a man
whose name was Joseph, of
the house of David. The
virgin's name was mary.

28 And having come in, the
angel said to her, "Rejoice,
highly favored one, the Lord
is with you; blessed are you
among women!"

29 But when she saw him,
she was troubled at his
saying, and considered what
manner of greeting this was.

30 Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for
you have found favor with
God. 31 And behold, you will
conceive in your womb and
bring forth a Son, and shall
call His name JESUS. 32 He
will be great, and will be
called the son of the Highest;
and the Lord God will give
Him the throne of His father
David. 35 And He will reign
over the house of Jacob
forever, and of His kingdom
there will be no end." ...


4 Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth, into Judea, to the
city of David, which is called
Bethlehem, because he was
of the house and lineage of
David, 5 to be registered with
Mary, his betrothed wife,
who was with child. 6 So it
was, that while they were
there, the days were
completed for her to be
delivered. 7 And she brought
forth her firstborn Son, and
wrapped Him in swaddling
cloths, and laid him in a
manger, because there was
no room for them in the inn.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Mary was a recipient of God's grace. Luke called her the "highly
favored one" (v.28) who had "found favor [grace] with God" (v.30).
Mary here joins with other people in the Bible who experienced
God's grace-Noah (Gen. 6:8), Lot (Gen. 19:16,19), and Moses
(Ex. 33:17). __SIM KAY TEE

[Lani]

God came to live with us, so that we could live with Him.

*ohyeah*

Thank you Jesus!

Thanks for posting Cimi Always a blessing!!

Peace and Luv in Christ,
Lani