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   Him. But once, and for a special purpose, He dispensed with   
   that long line which is His instrument: once His life-giving   
   finger touched a woman without passing through the ages of   
   interlocked events." C. S. Lewis   
   (Read this and more in Miracles,p . 182.)   
   Every Birth a Miracle   
   I have never met parents who did not think that the birth of each   
   of their children was one of the most amazing things they had ever   
   experienced. And rightly so. We talk about the miracle of birth, and   
   so we should. The obstetrician might tell us how normal child birth   
   is, but we who have become parents know better. We might forget   
   as the years pass and the trials of raising teenagers take their toll.   
   But when we sit back and remember, we know better once again.   
   The birth of a child is a miracle. The "birth-days" of our children   
   remind us   
   No childbirth in history has received more attention in art, music,   
   literature, stained glass, and even on the postage stamp, than   
   the birth of Jesus. That was a one-of-a-kind birth, but Lewis points   
   out that God is at work in every pregnancy and in every birth. The   
   same God who brought about the pregnancy of Mary by the power   
   of the Holy Spirit is also at work to bring about every pregnancy.   
   We might stand back at the thought that even a mare conceiving   
   a foal, as Lewis writes, is done by the power of God, but could it be   
   otherwise? He is the creator of all things, and he upholds all things   
   by his powerful word(Heb- 1:3)- He must be involved in every birth,   
   your birth, my birth, even our rebirth by the power of the Holy Spirit,   
   but especially in the birth of Jesus   
   This is not to say that the birth of Jesus was ordinary. Far from   
   it. But Jesus' birth and my birth both had the blessing of God. That   
   gives me assurance that new birth is available in him also.   
      
   Prayer : Thank you, Lord, for the reminder that you are at work,   
   giving life. Grant us new life in your Son. Amen.   
      
   Luke 1:35   
      
   35 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you,   
   and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.   
   Therefore the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God.   
      
   From Follow The Story - Marva J. Dawn   
      
   SATURDAY, FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT   
      
   Baffling Salutations   
      
   When she saw him, she was troubled by his words,...   
      
   -Luke 1:29a   
      
      
   To greet another person with the phrase "The LORD be with you"   
   was a common custom in those days. Compare how Boaz greets   
   the reapers in his barley field and how they answer back (Ruth 2:4).   
   Even today many churches use the expression   
   in their liturgies to underscore that we are a community together   
   as worshipers and leaders in God's presence.   
      
   Consequently, this part of Gabriel's address must not have been too confusing,   
   unless the angel notably accentuated the present tense, "The LORD is with you,"   
   in anticipation of how the Trinity would be operative in Mary.   
      
   Probably Mary was stunned by Gabriel's calling her a "favoured one"   
   since she was merely a small-town youth, and the   
   angel was the magnificent messenger of God. She was totally unprepared   
   for the extraordinary disclosure Gabriel would reveal to her, though some   
   Jewish mothers gingerly harbored the hope that they might be mother   
   to the promised Messiah. Ponder with Mary what being "favoured"   
   by God could mean.   
      
   prayer   
      
   Thank you, LORD, that Mary was simple-hearted with Gabriel.   
      
   Amen.   
      
      
   Read Luke 1:26-38.   
      
   26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God   
   to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,   
   27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph,   
   of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.   
   28 The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured.   
   The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women."   
   29 When she saw him, she was troubled by his words, and considered   
   in her mind what kind of greeting this might be.   
   30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found   
   favour with God.   
   31 Listen, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son   
   and shall call His name JESUS.   
   32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest.   
   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 of His kingdom there will be no end."   
   34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"   
   35 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you,   
   and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.   
   Therefore the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God.   
   36 Listen, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age.   
   And this is the sixth month with her who was declared barren.   
   37 For with God nothing will be impossible."   
   38 Mary said, "I am the servant of the Lord. May it be unto me according   
   to your word." Then the angel departed from her.   
      
   From The Ah-Has of Advent by Rich Bimler   
      
      
   AH-HA! Ambassadors of Health, Hope and ATTENTION!   
      
   11 (Ps 40:5; Jer 30:18-22) For I know the plans that I have for you,   
   says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future   
   and a hope.   
      
   JEREMIAH 29:11   
      
   Advent comes to us just when we need it. Not only is it the time to begin   
   a new Church Year, but it also allows us to stop and ponder anew what   
   "the Almighty can do" and what he has already done! In other words,   
   Advent gets our attention to ponder what life is all about!   
      
   What is it that is getting your attention these days?   
   There's plenty of options, aren't there ?   
   Is it working or shopping, or preparing, or Juggling,   
   or decorating, or baking or all of the above?   
   Me too! How good are you at multi-tasking?   
      
   We live in a CPA society ... which means Continuous Partial Attention.   
   Check it out: Have you encountered folks who are texting, listening talking,   
   studying, thinking, eating .. all at the same time? Me, too! And it drives me   
   crazy! You too?   
      
   Advent sneaks up on our CPA society and simply, gently calms us. Advent   
   coos to us what today's Scripture says: The Lord has plans to give us   
   a hope and future. That is a promise that   
   really gets our attention as ambassadors   
   of health and hope!   
      
   God in Christ attends us with his love   
   and forgiveness to empower us to turn our attention   
   outward. We can turn from our own CPA existence to sharing   
   his hope for all people. NO partial attention from the Lord. God's   
   CPA is his Continuous Promise Attention ... for all of us!   
   And that's good enough for me! You too?   
      
   Prayer   
      
   Lord, calm us, settle us and point us to the hope and the future that you have   
   provided for us, through Jesus' birth, death and resurrection.   
   You have our attention Lord In Jesus' name. Amen ... and AH-HA!   
      
   Read Jeremiah 29:11-14.   
      
   11 (Ps 40:5; Jer 30:18-22) For I know the plans that I have for you,   
   says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future   
   and a hope.   
   12 (Jer 33:3; Ps 50:15) Then you shall call upon Me, and you shall come   
   and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.   
   13 (Jer 24:7; 2Ch 22:9) You shall seek Me and find Me, when you shall search   
   for Me with all your heart.   
   14 (Jer 30:3; Ps 32:6) I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will turn   
   away your captivity and gather you from all the nations   
   and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord,   
   and I will bring you back into the place from   
   where I caused you to be carried away captive.   
      
   Conclusion:   
      
   Pray to the Lord and pray to know the Salvation is for all for the Lord is   
   coming back for those who have accepted Him.   
      
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)