Three books that are becoming the ROCKS of my Advent devotions.
The first Sunday of Advent, 2022.
“for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name”.
Luke 1:49
In Mary’s song of praise when visiting with Elizabeth and sharing their miraculous pregnancies, Mary’s thoughts turn to how she has experienced God: He looks, and He is mighty.
“So that all the peoples of the earth
may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty,
that you may fear the LORD your God forever”.
Joshua 4:24
Many years before Mary was born, Joshua also ascribes mightiness to God.
The great things that Mary is referencing is allowing her to be the mother of Jesus — that which we remember every Christmas.
Because God is mighty, Joshua’s words give an admonition that we would fear the Lord forever. Fear the Lord — live appropriately in the presence of God.
Joshua had just set up a 12-stone memorial commemorating the Israelites crossing the Jordan River on dry ground. (Check our Joshua 4 for the whole story; page 399 in my Bible.) Joshua knew it was important to remember.
When my sister moved to heaven three years ago, another sent me a check to do something in
her honor. One of her hobbies was painting rocks. I knew right away, I wanted a painted rock to help me remember the truth we often reminded each other of in her last months here, “I have loved you with an everlasting love”. Jeremiah 31:3. (Our grandchildren painted the two rocks picturing the nativity.) The Jeremiah rock sits in a prominent place in our living room all year.
I love Christmas, the whole Christmas season. And I need those memorials, the tangible reminders, the BIG ROCKS.
(If you missed this post from November 17, I encourage you to go back and read it.)
God is mighty. He has done great things for me, and you. I too want to live appropriately in His presence. These big rocks remind me — are a memorial for me.
Each Thursday this Advent, Echoes of Grace is creating a rock memorial highlighting a different gift relating to Advent, to the anticipation of the celebration of Jesus’ birth to help me (to help us) remember. This Thursday, December 1 is The Rock of Dormancy. See you then.
Copyright: Sue Tell, Nov 2022
Hi Sue! I love Christmas also. Although in the past several years it has been filled with sadness and brokenness too. It’s been helpful to remember that when Jesus came into our world that there was much brokenness as well. He is our Rock!!
Hi T …
Thank you for responding. You are right, so much sadness and brokenness. Clinging to our rock when life doesn’t make sense Sue requires a lot of trust.
God meet me reminding me that he is my rock not so much in the brokenness but in the busyness.
So thankful for friends like you to walk with in both the brokenness and the busyness of life. I need you.