Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Tuesday after the Fourth Sunday in Advent

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. Luke 1:39-45 (NKJV)

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Devotion

“But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”

Why is it granted to any of us that the Lord God should come to any of us? Our sinful selfishness has caused us all to ignore him and walk away from His wisdom and blessings. Yet, He still provides good gifts for us in the world. Even more, He comes to us in flesh and blood to give us peace, life, and joy.

Our God did not stand aloof and leave us to rise or fall according to our own vanities, but He became one of us so that He could truly help us. He took on our flesh and blood and He lived perfectly as one of us so that He could accomplish what none of us could. He paid the price for our sins so that we could be made acceptable to God.

God came to us because He loved the world, all mankind, and He wanted to save us by His grace and mercy, through the blessing of faith. And all these things are undeserved gifts from our Lord. There was no worthiness in us. There was no worthiness in Elizabeth, no worthiness in Mary or Joseph, no worthiness in any of us, apart from the faith that the Holy Spirit conceives in us. All good things that come to us are merciful gifts from a profoundly benevolent Lord. He comes to us in the flesh and blood of Christ Jesus, and the Gospel which tells us of our salvation in Him, simply out of His love for us. That is why He comes to us!

We pray: Lord God, endless thanks and praise be to You for Your mercy in coming to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

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