Daily Advent

Tuesday, December 3rd

Advent 2013 ~ Prophecy Candle

Old Testament:
"'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety.  This is the name by which he will be called: the Lord Our Righteousness.'"  Jeremiah 23:5,6

This is the prophecy Jeremiah had foretelling that Jesus will come from the lineage of King David.

New Testament:
"In the sixth month, God sent an angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man name Joseph, a descendant of David.  The virgin's name was Mary.  The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you.' Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be."  Luke 1:26-29

I love the angel's first phrases to Mary, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."  It reminds me of the angels first words to Gideon back in Judges 6:12, "The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior."  The angel tells Mary, just like Gideon, that the Lord is with her.  He also speaks a truth about who she is into her life - "she is highly favored."  Mary and Gideon are people who must have had a special connection with the living God.  They did not initially respond in fear, though later the angel does tell both of them not to be afraid, but they responded instead out of curiosity and faith.

May you experience God's favor and presence in your life today!
Connie