With all my heart I praise the Lord, 47 and I am glad because of God my Savior. 48 He cares for me, his humble servant. From now on, all people will say God has blessed me. 49 God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
From now on
things will never be the same.
From now on
my life is full of God.
From now on
God is using me as his servant.
From now on
people will see that God has blessed me.
From now on
may they know that he has blessed them too.
From now on
God has done so much for me.
From now on
God within me,
God around me,
God in you.
This year, several of us are reading Beginnings and Endings by Maggi Dawn and joining together to comment on it. Do join us at the Adventbookclub Facebook page, follow #adventbookclub on Twitter or comment below. If you are also reading and blogging on this book, let me know and I will link to your blog.
39 A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah’s home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42 Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:
God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43 Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Mary,
you have come to me,
carrying within you
the Lord.
My child
recognises your child,
I know,
I feel,
God’s blessing is here.
You believed him,
allowed him to work in you,
and through you
he will bless us.
Maggi talks about God’s timetables (p104) – how true! God’s timing is rarely at our convenience, but always the right time. (Maggi’s story reminds me of ours. We decided to move house when I was pregnant, eventually finding one when I was 34 weeks pregnant. The solicitor tried to tell us it would be very hard to complete in four weeks – I suggested to her it was quite important! This baby was coming, whether she or we were ready – or not)
This takes us back to Day 1. God is coming whether it feels like the right time or not. Coming into the unreadiness, the mess, the inconvenient. Into the pain, the fear, the wondering – and yes the wonder and awe too. He is indeed coming – ready or not
This year, several of us are reading Beginnings and Endings by Maggi Dawn and joining together to comment on it. Do join us at the Adventbookclub Facebook page, follow #adventbookclub on Twitter or comment below. If you are also reading and blogging on this book, let me know and I will link to your blog.
8 That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. 9 All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord’s glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. 10 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11 This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. 12 You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay.”
13 Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:
14 “Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.”
Another message for the angels to bring.
To more ordinary people, minding their own business, going about their everyday life. And into that pops God. He seems to make a habit of it!
I’ve got news
Good news. News for everyone. News that is going to change the world.
God interrupted their lives and changed them.
Shepherds would not have been the first people anyone would have thought of to deliver important news to. Their work made them outcasts, unreliable, on the edge; even as Maggi tells us (p96) rogues and misfits. They are out in fields, not in the centre of things.
But they are the ones God chooses to come and tell this message to. The first to know.
I wonder, with Maggi, whether the angels only appeared to them (surely God’s glory is so bright that everyone would see it? Yet how often we fail to…), or if others just didn’t notice it or believe it.
Thank you
that a vision of your glory is for everyone,
no one is in or out,
acceptable or otherwise.
Your presence,
your kingdom
is for all who will see
and hear.
Lord,
your glory shines all around,
your presence is there,
yet often I fail to see it,
to notice what you are doing,
to hear what you are saying.
Open my eyes,
clear my hearing
I pray,
that I may see your glory
and your presence
day by day.
This year, several of us are reading Beginnings and Endings by Maggi Dawn and joining together to comment on it. Do join us at the Adventbookclub Facebook page, follow #adventbookclub on Twitter or comment below. If you are also reading and blogging on this book, let me know and I will link to your blog.
Pam's Perambulation 