God's Word for Me Today
Monday, December 10, 2001
Unwrapping a Christ-Centered Christmas!
A note about online study
Introduction to God's Word for Me Today
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, it is only fifteen days until the world celebrates the birth of Your Son, Jesus! I pray that we may all celebrate His birth, that Christmas may truly focus on Jesus Christ this year. I pray that for the whole world, and I pray it for me. I pray that in all that I am and do today You may be glorified. I pray that Your Spirit will live in my spirit so powerfully that everyone around me will see and experience the new life You have given me. I pray this day, O God, that my life may be a reflection of the light of Jesus. I pray that just as Mary was willing to endure the consequences of obedience to You, and thus witnessed many miracles, that I, too, will be willing to pay whatever consequence there is for following You today. Bless this day, Lord, and use it to bring honor to Your holy name. This I pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God's Word for Me Today: Luke 1:39-56
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "You are blessed by God above all other women, and your child is blessed. 43 What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! 44 When you came in and greeted me, my baby jumped for joy the instant I heard your voice! 45 You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said." 46 Mary responded, "Oh, how I praise the Lord. 47 How I rejoice in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. 49 For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. 51 His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! 52 He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. 55 For he promised our ancestors – Abraham and his children – to be merciful to them forever." 56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
Questions for Reflection
What is the best “baby memory” you have?
What is the greatest honor you have ever received?
Questions for Exploration
What was Mary’s response to being pregnant? (1:39-40)
How did Elizabeth and her baby respond to having Mary come to their home? (1:41-42)
What is the source of Mary’s blessing, according to Elizabeth? (1:44-45)
Questions for Understanding
What is the significance of Elizabeth’s baby “leaping within her” when Mary came to their house?
What is the overall point of Mary’s “song,” as it is often called, in Luke 1:46-55?
Why do you suppose Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months before returning home?
Questions for Application
The immediate response of Elizabeth to being in the presence of Jesus (even an unborn Jesus!) was that she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray for God to fill you with the Holy Spirit that you may be His witness to the glory of Jesus today!
What is one of the actions that Mary said Jesus would carry out (1:45-55) that you can carry out in the power of the Holy Spirit today? Commit to doing it!
God Exalts the Lowly!
The beautiful “Song of Mary” in Luke 1:46-55 offers us some extremely important information about God, and God’s way of interacting with His people. One of the key statements is this: “He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.” Mary is one of the best examples of this herself. Before she became pregnant with Jesus, no one outside of her immediate family had ever heard of her, yet God chose her to be the Mother of His only Son! When Jesus was born it caused a great deal of stress in the palace of King Herod of Judea, because he thought that he was the only ruler in town! He did all that he could to see that Jesus never lived to become the King of the Jews, even murdering all the male children two years old and younger who lived in and around Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth.
The key, though, is that God had already determined that Jesus, a lowly carpenter’s son, and a child born outside of marriage, would become the King of kings, and Lord of lords! Jesus and Mary are two of dozens of examples from the Bible of how God uses everyday people to fulfill his purposes. We don’t have to be famous to be used mightily by God. We must only be available, humble, and willing. As we move through this Christmas season, may we concern ourselves first and foremost with being ready to be used by God, in whatever manner He chooses, that we may bring glory to Him, and to His only Son, Jesus!
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