December 11

Luke 1:26-40
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
30 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 bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
36 “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.
37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.


Being ready for Christmas means being in right relationship with God. Mary was ready for Christmas. The angel called her favored, and declared that the Lord was with her. Her humility kept her perplexed, and the angel reassured her not be to be afraid, that she had found favor with God.

God will use those who are ready to be used. Not ready as in polished and pretty, but ready as in humble and obedient. He sees our hearts, and He knows when we're ready.

Does having the holiday for which you long seem impossible at this point? Think of how life must have looked to a teenage virgin suddenly carrying the Christ child. God encouraged her. He told her, through the angel, that NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.

Talk to Him today about what seems impossible. And then ask Him to help you to see what is standing in the way of God finding favor with you. Once you are in right day to day, minute to minute relationship with Him, NOTHING is impossible. His desires become your desires, and what fills your heart is Him - and He is enough.

Even if the Christmas for which you currently long never happens, you'll have something BETTER. You'll have the fulfillment of knowing God's presence within, as surely as Mary felt that baby. When the road was rough, Mary could think back to that angelic encounter and KNOW that a sovereign God was orchestrating everything.

We can know that too.