Lamentations 3:21-23
This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
A day to God is thousands of years, Peter teaches us in the Living Word of God. And you've probably considered if Almighty God gets tired of families who tire, grow old and go to meet the Lord. Moses assures us instead of God's Love.
The Gospel of Matthew begins with Deuteronomy and such amazing love for His Beloved past their flaws and weariness. A thousand generations. An Almighty God, upholding the Universe by the Power of His Word. Creation.
Deuteronomy 7:9
He continues to show his love and kindness through a thousand generations
Mark's Truth, or Gospel, begins with the Garden of Eden. Straight paths and cultivation, with Father God, who speaks with us in our garden journey. The Garden of Eden is offered, again, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Jesus Christ wants to save the world. God of many chances.
Mark 1
I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him.
Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
Luke 1 explains a failed Priest. Cursed not to have children, put in the queue, of average to serve the Lord in His Temple. Instead, Gabriel, who stands in the Presence of God, knows of the goodness of Zechariah and Elizabeth, his wife. The Good News of Jesus, and like Abraham, Sarah and Isaac, the fruitfulness of God surrounds them with answered prayers and a son. Past the flaws, sins, doubt and inadequacy of any one person. The Magnificence of God.
Luke 1
The angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord.
John's Gospel explains the Salvation of God, prayers are heard, the clear understanding Jesus is the Messiah of God, Emmanuel. The Glory of God arrives. The Light explained of God's Nature in Genesis, all His Works and mercy, Light explained just as in Matthew 1. A circle of unending Love.
Judges 13:2-25
13 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.
2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. 3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, 5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name, 7 but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”
8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” 9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” 11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” 12 And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child's manner of life, and what is his mission?” 13 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. 14 She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.”
15 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you and prepare a young goat for you.” 16 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “If you detain me, I will not eat of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.”
(For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord.) 17 And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?”
18 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”
19 So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to the one who works wonders, and Manoah and his wife were watching.
Like Gideon, Second Chances. Identical to the father with his son, being healed by Jesus when none could heal. Jesus Christ standing with doubters, to heal and be merciful. Steadfast Love.
20 And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.
21 The angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. 22 And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” 23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.” 24 And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Fire and the Angel, explain Moses and the unconsumed Bush,
our hearts were suddenly warm near Jesus,
and the Fire of Acts 2, The Holy Spirit
Isaiah 45:8-10
Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit,
And righteousness spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it.
9"Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker-- An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?' Or the thing you are making say, 'He has no hands '? 10"Woe to him who says to a father, 'What are you begetting?'
Luke 1
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived
Luke 1
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
And the angel departed from her.
Psalm 37:3
Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Abba, our God,
We have Your Word for the Child of God in us, we grow toward Jesus.
The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. for I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We pray this blessing upon ourselves, our families, our friends, the People God has given. We pray for the health of those who pray for this. We pray for an easier Christmas and for things around us to halt in their brokenness and put on the harmony of Love.
We pray for the Nation. We rejoice around us in those in Good News. And believe God is in control of all things. We are covered in His mercy as we believe and put our lives in His Grace, Love and Mercy. We will look to Jesus, with hope. Amen.
God Himself Bless, Sustain, Comfort, Guide
Jesus Christ Live in us.
Help us to seek You first.
Amen!