As the rain and snow

“Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign… He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. While he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images. They chopped down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and he cut down the incense altars that stood above them… He beat the Asherim and the images into powder and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

“When he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent… to repair the house of the Lord his God…  And when [he] heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes… 

“The king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and Jerusalem and the priests and Levites, all the people both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. The king made a covenant… to walk after the Lord and keep his commandments… with all his heart and soul… And Josiah took away all the abominations from all the territory that belonged to Israel… All his days they did not turn away from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.” 2 Chronicles 34:1-4,7,8b,19,30-31,33

From an early age, by God’s grace alone, Josiah sought the Lord. Pursuit of his God directed his way and kept at bay the enticements to which his father and grandfather had succumbed. With focus on Him his efforts cleansed and redirected the nation. (Jeremiah 22:15-16)

When we seek one thing, we are not seeking others. While certainly there are constant pressures and allures nipping at our right and left, or sometimes squarely in front of us, dedication to pursuit of God does much to ward off distractions. It keeps us focused on the Lord’s ways and learning what’s important and vital to Christian growth. It exposes wrong thinking and practices, and emboldens to rectify those wrongs. It leads to purposeful work and ministry.

To purport to seek the Lord is a spiritual decision followed by many acts of the will. Time and attention must be set and taken, habits and practices must adjust. Seeking God doesn’t just happen, nor does opposition disappear. A heart set right with God handles attractive counter-efforts and necessary emergencies with confidence. He inspires discernment and discipline, He clarifies vision and next steps, He gives order and strength for needed tasks.

What do our actions say we’re really seeking in life? Do we dream big, but behave just wanting to get through the day? Are we putting off making a difference or memories with others because we’re more intent on making money or a name for ourselves? Would we intentionally ask the Lord to shape and order our intentions and passions? He who made us knows how we can best fulfill His unique purpose for us. Identification of desire establishes pursuit.

Lord, please fully engage my desires and efforts to pursue You, Your plans, path, and glory.

“As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?  Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.  We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud  and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.” John 9:1-7

Jesus was always about his Father’s business. He came to the world for a purpose and every second was spent to that end. His eyes, heart, and hands were daily living sacrifices, an offering that the works of his Father might be displayed and known. As he passed by… Wherever He went, He was intent on His Father’s next appointment. Present in the moment, along the day’s way, utilizing the ordinary, He brought the divine into the banal and made every moment count for glory.

We do not know the number of our days, nor the limit the Lord might impose on our capabilities. But we can seek God’s wisdom for every one of them, and make it our aim to please Him as long as we breathe. If we begin each day by offering ourselves as living sacrifices unto God’s will, He gives eyes to see His pathways, passion for His work, and ripe opportunities to make a difference. (Psalm 90:12; Job 14:5; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:15-16)

Sometimes He plants desire or a burden and we know not how to begin or execute. Would we seek His mind, and ask Him to orchestrate the details? Prayer awakens expectation and hones vision. In answer, we experience His intervention in opening next steps, arranging circumstances, and starting conversations, and can boldly take His lead. Taking up the mud, we can marvel at how He transforms willing effort into significant life changes. (2 Chronicles 20:12b; James 1:5)

As we pass by people and situations throughout our days, how intent are we on shining and spreading the light of Christ? How tuned in are we to specific divine appointments the Lord has assigned to us? How keen are we to recognize and how courageous to take up eternal causes? What distractions in the common and temporal works of man prevent us from focused employment in the heavenly work of God? What adjustments can we make in our schedules and ambitions to keep us occupied with God’s intentions over our own? (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:13)

“A charge to keep I have, 
a God to glorify, 
a never-dying soul to save, 
and fit it for the sky. 

To serve the present age, 
my calling to fulfill, 
O may it all my pow’rs engage 
to do my Master’s will! “ ~Charles Wesley (1762)

Lord, as long as I am in this world, may I display Your light and honor Your name, to Your ends and glory.

“Hezekiah did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God.  Every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart.

“After these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities…When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, he planned with his officers and mighty men to stop the water of the springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land, saying, ‘Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?’ He set to work resolutely and built up all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it, and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the Millo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance.  He set combat commanders over the people and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.  With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles. And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” 2 Chronicles 31:20-32:8

King Hezekiah regularly gathered with his God, which equipped him with great effectiveness in leading Judah. Seeking the Lord with all his heart was a magnetic example and inspiration for his people, and afforded great wisdom in guiding them through enemy threats. He gathered leaders for strategic planning, focused building, and ready, confident defense. As a result, all were encouraged in the One who would fight for them. His faithfulness did not protect him from hardship, but fortified him in it.

There is great benefit in gathering together under godly leadership and among devout friends. We learn principles and practices based on scripture, and can together build defenses against the culture’s onslaught. Together we gain understanding and refine thinking. Together we hone skills and multiply strength. Together under the word our hearts and hands are encouraged to do more than we could alone. Together we hope and believe and stand fast against accusation and criticism, and expectantly look for the Lord’s intervention. And when the Lord brings victory, together we contribute to the praise God deserves. (2 Chronicles 32:9-23)

Where is my place in the gathering of God’s people? Do I shrink back from exposing vulnerability or getting involved because of insecurity or self-consciousness? Have I disordered priorities to put my own interests first? Have I grown lazy about gathering together to accommodate ease, comfort, and control, and neglected my call to common service, support, and mutual upbuilding?

When do I regularly gather with my Lord? How am I specifically encouraging my leaders by prayer, giving, expressing appreciation? How do I contribute to and cooperate with their initiatives?

Lord, help me give to and glean from the gathering of Your people, and so magnify Your power and glory.

“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha… So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill…’ 

“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again…’ Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus has died…’

“Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days… So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.  Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’  Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again…’

“Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died…’

“Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.’  Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’ John 11:1,3,5-7,14,17,20-23,32,38-40

The women’s faith was strong. They knew their friend Jesus and what He was capable of. Immediately upon their brother’s illness, they summoned Him to come and heal. Jesus knew their faith and as He so exquisitely does, intended to make it even stronger, deeper. What He would do involved their participation and firsthand exposure to power they’d not previously known. He is always about God’s glory and its manifestation to and in His children. (John 11:38-44)

In situations pressing and all-consuming, our behavior belies our boast. We purport to believe God is mighty yet dictate how He should work. We claim He is infinitely able but prescribe what He should do. We assert that He’s high and supreme, yet trudge along in the bog of weak trust, limited vision, and low expectations. The Lord challenges insufficient understanding of His wide and eternal purposes to push the limits of our faith in Him.

Where is He calling us to deeper trust? Where is He breaking open our preconceived notions and anemic expectations by conviction, or drastic and unexpected changes? How are we wrangling with human parameters and efforts and failing to take Him at His powerful word? Would we repent of pride and shallow faith, and watch, listen, and willingly follow Him to new and higher peaks of trust?

The high and holy One thinks and does far more than we can imagine, and He stretches us to believe and experience far more than we do. He orchestrates circumstances to take us to new heights of faith and greater tenacity to grasp His power and marvel at His splendor. In what situations will we trust Him anew this day? (1 Kings 8:27; Isaiah 55:8-9; Ephesians 3:20)

Lord, do what is necessary to increase my faith and magnify Your glory in and through my life.

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end… [He] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him… Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me…’ 

“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you?..  I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him…

“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me…’ 

‘Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another… Will you lay down your life for me?'” John 13:1,4-5,8b,12,15-16,21,34b,38a

Jesus knew what lay imminently ahead. His excruciating death loomed, but love loomed nearer, and it compelled Him to the nitty gritty with His disciples. No fanfare, no going-away attention or fêted applause, His was to the end a position of servitude to His Father and friends. Whatever it took to finish His every lesson and work on earth was His joy and glory.

The way of Jesus is steady, life-giving love to the end. From His initial condescension from glory to be born in a manger, His way was kneeling, taking the low place, unceasing self-expenditure, serving, doing the necessary and dirty work. Indeed, He came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as the deepest expression and example of love. Every loving act as He walked earth’s dust led to the dirtiest work of all when He bore the ugliness, evil, shame, repulsion, and horror of our sin on the cross. (Isaiah 53:2-11; Matthew 20:28)

For us, nearing the completion of a task often carries with it a sense of exhilaration or euphoria, desire for notice, desert of reward, or mere exhaustion. The work itself has consumed, so there’s great aplomb with the finish. Certainly no more can be spent or given.

Have we truly applied the dirty work of Christ? Have we been stunned and brought to humble gratitude by what He’s done on our behalf? Have we allowed Him to wash the grime of strange affections, temper, self-absorption, greed, and worldly fetishes off our feet? If so, our cleanliness should bear a distinction in daily decisions and interactions with others.

Do I reach a point too often where I want another to do the dirty work? Where do I insist on being served rather than serving? Does self-care or laziness compel over love? How do we respond to opportunities to humble ourselves for the sake of others? Even when we are spent, if we cherish and implement Jesus’s example of surrender we surely experience His supernatural blessing.

Lord, make me willing to do dirty work that exhibits and magnifies Your grace and love.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud..!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on… the foal of a donkey…
He shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and… to the ends of the earth.
As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double…

“On that day the Lord their God will save them,
as the flock of his people;
for like the jewels of a crown
they shall shine on his land.

“Their hearts shall be glad as with wine.
Their children shall see it and be glad;
their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord…

“I will make them strong in the Lord,
and they shall walk in his name.” Zechariah 9:9,10b-12,16; 10:6-7,12

The prophet’s promise of Zion’s coming King was embellished with great anticipation. Rejoice! Behold! This righteous, humble, omnipotent Regent will bring a peace and freedom and blessing you can hardly imagine! So rejoice greatly! No matter what trouble you face or opposition you presently encounter, on that glorious day of salvation you will shine on the land! As this hosanna will be repeated on Jesus’s journey to the cross, let this hope spur you on and fill you with joy! (John 12:12-15,27,32; Hebrews 12:2)

How easy it is to get stuck in the quagmire of difficulties. They abound in life here below: rubs in relationships, sweat in toil, failures in health, conundrums in thought, pressures in finances, sadnesses in spirit. Since Eden we’ve struggled with enemies without and within, but the Lord’s true and abiding promises fortify His children with unshakable hope to endure. It is the very substance of His pledge that gives strength to keep on, with gladness. Every facet of His perfect character, every sparkle of His glory, the impenetrable sureness of His promises are all ours to behold, hold, and apply. (Genesis 3:15-19; Romans 7:15,18-19)

With what are we currently dealing that threatens to consume? What pesky mites of irritation or pounding weight of sorrow? The enemy will use anything to destroy sure and future hope, anything to distort the truth that this life is not all there is. If we would turn instead to behold our eternal King, the One who reigns to the edges of our imagination and emotions and the ends of the earth, He would transform our mindset. He would cause the pressure and fire of now to turn us to jewels that shine forever. Will we yield our attention? (2 Corinthians 4:17)

How will we carry and spread the light of our Savior into the bleakness around us? What truth can we speak to illumine spiritual darkness? What love into dissension, prejudice, and animosity? What calm into storms of misunderstanding and anxiety? What beauty into ugly conversations and situations? What comfort into hurt and grief? What qualities of our Lord can we make known in our interactions and industry?

Lord, help me actively live out the hope of Your lavish promises, shining Your love and excellencies in this dark world and so glorify You.

“There was a man in Jerusalem, Simeon, [who] was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
    that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.’

“And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.  And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’” Luke 2:25-35

There is nothing like the welling praise that arises with the joy of salvation. Simeon- anointed, taught, and led by the Holy Spirit- expected the long-expected, and now held Him in his arms. Christ had come before his death as God had promised! Simeon saw in the babe Jesus the light and glory for the Jews and all the earth. His glistening eyes and captivated heart were riveted. Bless God! This is enough!

Then he blessed the Christ child’s parents, foretelling the sober and glorious truth about their son. And his words bless us as we acknowledge and gratefully exhale with the same recognition, I may now depart in peace because Christ has come. I have seen His salvation. Joy unspeakable! The Savior is here! Our ransom and rescue! Deliverer and Redeemer! How intently do we look at Jesus so we are satisfied in His presence? How well do we see and robustly rejoice in all that He is?

Jesus is enough. Near the end of life, however rich and long and fruitful, or barren and stretched and desolate and painful, only one thing matters, that we have held and seen and believed in Jesus. This is a message for our families, our neighbors, the world. Are we so enthralled with Jesus that we must, as the herald angels, speak His glory? Where do we announce His salvation so others can rest at peace? (1 John 1:1-3)

“Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King.'” ~Charles Wesley (1739)

Lord Jesus, may I clearly see and faithfully tell of Your great salvation. Merry Christmas, Savior!

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!’

“When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child.  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” Luke 2:13-20

Immediate recognition that this was a heavenly message prompted the nightshift shepherds’ immediate response to go. Hearts and feet quickened, they had to see this child of promise. Glad compulsion drove them to the manger. The awe at this magnetic, mysterious, marvelous crude birth was palpable, and into its hush they relayed the angels’ message to the wonder of all present. Only then, in returning to their dark fields, they spilled over with praise and irrepressible joy at all they’d heard and seen.

The Lord is with His people every day. His appearing is not often spectacular, but is significant. Pondering the eternal and supernatural in the crush of temporal busyness prepares us to be aware of His presence. It takes faith-filled expectancy and daily focus to keep Him at the fore, and receptive hearts to welcome His wonders. And hearts thus filled spill over- we want with all our might to go and tell.

Are we watching for Him as we go about our work? Do we stay attuned to hear how He teaches, warns, and leads us through long hours? Are we keen to see glimpses of His glory in our mundane?

How then do we spread His light? For whom are we praying to be receptive, to be willing to ponder and receive the truth about Christ? Have we cultivated relationships enough to be able to enter with the great news of the peace Jesus brings? How can we seize on another’s wonder to point them to God in the highest? How consistent are we then in praising Him for these privileges?

“Angels we have heard on high,
sweetly singing o’er the plains,
and the mountains in reply
echoing their joyous strains:
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
which inspire your heav’nly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the new-born King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!” ~Traditional French carol (18th century)

Lord, may I always glorify You in the highest with ready praise, and gladly share Your exaltation and promises with those around me.

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'” Luke 2:8-14

Their message came to the ordinary, the humble, the worker. No preferential treatment is ever a motive with the truth about Jesus. Encircled by the glory of the Lord first one came with peace. Fear not, behold! Christ is born and it is a great joy! Then many joined in greater splendor announcing greater, deeper peace. This Lord is bringing peace on earth to all who welcome Him. The angels understood the magnitude of their announcement to these shepherds and the world and broke forth with heavenly praise. (Luke 1:79)

Each creature went about his task as do we. Ordinary days and nights and moments and shifts are made extraordinary when the Lord’s truth is proclaimed and His glory enters in. Perhaps it is an anticipated epiphany, maybe a prompting of the Spirit. We may be arrested by hard news, interrupted by something fear-inducing, or visited with a particular comfort or insight. The Lord appears in various ways to His children as we work and serve, and always with His visit He is exalted. Are we aware? Would I lift my sights to behold His glory in the highest above and beyond?

Do I expect His presence in my commonplace activities? Do I mentally separate out the sacred from the mundane, reserving wonder and worship for a sanctuary rather than carrying it into habitual job and service? How might I better recognize God’s glory in what He calls me to do daily? Where do I see His hand at work, the proof of His promises? Will I listen for His voice, look for His signs, take hold of His peace?

And what about when He sends me on a specific heavenly errand? Am I bold to speak His truth and magnify the glory of His gifts and grace? Do my words bring the peace He affords, make clear the hope He gives His children, and inspire worship?

“Angels from the realms of glory, 
wing your flight o’er all the earth; 
ye who sang creation’s story 
now proclaim Messiah’s birth: 
Come and worship, come and worship, 
worship Christ, the newborn king.

Shepherds, in the field abiding, 
watching o’er your flocks by night, 
God with us is now residing; 
yonder shines the infant light:
Come and worship, come and worship, 
worship Christ, the newborn king.” ~James Montgomery (1816)

Lord, fix my heart, words, and sights to glorify You in the highest.

“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph… And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came and said, ‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’

“And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’

“And the angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God…’ 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…

“And Mary said,

“’My soul magnifies the Lord,
     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” Luke 1:26-35,38,46-55

How could she process the heavenly visit in itself? A simple young woman from Nazareth sought out by an angel? And Gabriel’s announcement? It was beyond imagining! The holy One, Son of the Most High, anticipated for centuries, borne by her? Such favor! Impossible grace! (John 1:46)

Oh, and one more impossible gift, Mary. Your barren cousin is pregnant and will soon give birth to a son. Mary had to see. She had to share. Thoughts swirled and her heart raced as she hastened through the hill country. Once she arrived in Judah, God confirmed His promise, His power, and her faith during the visit to Elizabeth. She could hold in her wonder and praise no longer. (Luke 1:36-37)

Where has the Lord surprised us with indescribable grace? When has He met us in impossible situations with His power and promises? Are we rightly overwhelmed at His abounding goodness against our simple flesh, His regal, gracious authority over our humble estate? How do we spread abroad His praise?

Lord, may my soul ever magnify You for Your grace, greatness, and worth!