“Merry Christmas!”

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory,

the glory of the one and only Son,

who came from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 (NIV)

May the joy of Christ’s birth fill your heart and home with peace.

David

“But Then You Came”

[This first appeared on December 5, 2013, as a guest post on Mitzi C. Smith’s blog “Written Reality” (www.writtenreality.com).]

But then you came.

Several Advents ago, I heard a story from a sermon by Rick Ezell. As I recall the story, one day a young wife and mother snapped and ran away. She answered her husband’s frequent phone calls but wouldn’t tell him where she was. She ignored his repeated pleas to come home.

When weeks became months, he hired a private investigator to locate her. The husband booked a flight and made his way to her cheap motel room. Trembling, he knocked on the door.

When it cracked open, he said, “The kids and I love you. Please come home.”

“A Faith Like Mary’s”

A Visit From Gabriel

If I were the Virgin Mary, I’m not sure my faith would have been as trusting as hers. Do you ever wonder how you might have responded if you’d been in her sandals? How many people do you think would have believed your story?

The angel Gabriel did not deliver his world-changing announcement to a mass audience.

No video was filmed to be shown on all the major networks and cable channels.

No reporter came to take a picture and write a story for the Nazareth newspaper.

No smartphone selfie proved God’s messenger really had visited her.

And the angel didn’t even go with Mary to break the news to her parents or to Joseph. Gabriel had a private conversation with Mary and then departed.