Genesis 1-4; Luke 1

“Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God.  It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!  But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born.  For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” Luke 1:18-20 NLT

Zechariah’s response takes me back to a time in my life when I was having trouble having a baby.  After two miscarriages I went to doctor after doctor to find out what was wrong.  The wait seemed so long. Scientific answers  were found.  But, to this day, I wonder if it was God’s timing all along.  I couldn’t imagine life without the four children he has blessed us with.

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary.  She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.  Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.  “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!  You will conceive and give birth to a son, you will name him Jesus…Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” Luke 1:26-34 NLT

Mary was confused, but she responded in faith and not fear.  Will I be able to look back at this new year and remember all the times I did something afraid?  Will I be able to say that I was stretched out of my comfort zone, but trusted that God was with me? Recounting the mighty ways that he showed up in my life?

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.  Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good.  Then he separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”  And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.” Genesis 1:1-5 NLT

This passage is so familiar that I can lose the wonder of it.  And the way he can be so interactly involved in my life, but so powerful at the same time.

Help me Lord, not to lose my awe of you.  Thank you for new beginnings and fresh starts.  A new year to see how you will work in my life.  I pray that I never lose sight of you.  Amen.

Amy(amyctanner)

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