Andy Graham

‘Keep justice and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come…’(Isa. 56:1)

As we approach Christmas Day it’s perhaps fitting that we recall what it is all about. Through His Son God would and does offer us salvation, all we need to do is accept this wonderful gift into our hearts and embrace Jesus as our Lord. Even if we have already done so let’s pray afresh for a new outpouring of God’s Spirit into our lives and remind ourselves of the salvation we now have through Jesus Christ.

‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine…’(Isa. 43:1)

Just spend a few minutes reading these words over and over again – and allow them to reach into your heart and soul. Then rejoice and give thanks to God for His grace and mercy.

‘He comes the broken hearts to bind…’

These words, taken from the hymn, Hark The Glad Sound, offer great comfort and assurance to those whose hearts have been broken or bruised by the trials and tribulations that we all face in life. Christ can bind those broken hearts and place His own Spirit within them. If these words speak to you today, ask Christ to come afresh into your heart – then ask Him to reach into the hearts of all those who might need Him most today, that their hearts also can be mended.

‘Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free…’

This well known hymn by Charles Wesley opens with one of the greatest truths of the Gospel message. In Jesus Christ we are set free – set free from our fears and sins and able to take comfort and find rest in our Lord. What a wonderful feeling, to know we can find this through faith in Him. Yet today still there are many who do not know of this, who are unaware of the life we can have in Jesus Christ. So pray today that all people may echo the opening words of this hymn and know this freedom that Christ has to offer for themselves.

Read Luke 1:39-56

Looking at verses 39-45 initially, what do we learn from these verses?

• After her visitation from the Angel Gabriel, Mary, even with her faith would perhaps have been unsure exactly what to expect when she went to visit Elizabeth.
• The moment Mary came on the scene, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and the baby in her womb le[t for joy.
• Elizabeth’s greeting must have conformed Mary’s faith even more.
• Although Elizabeth herself must have been overjoyed with her own pregnancy she was more overwhelmed that the Mother of her Lord should come to visit her

As we read verses 46-56 what do we learn from this wonderful song of Mary’s?

• It very much echoes Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10.
• It’s a song of overwhelming joy but also of great humility.
• In referring herself to being blessed, Mary wasn’t being proud, rather she was recognising and accepting this wonderful gift that God has bestowed upon her.
• Mary glorifies God for what He will do through His Son.
• God is depicted as the One who will look after the poor, the oppressed and the despised.
• He will feed the hungry and be merciful.
• Through His Son, God will fulfil the promise He made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• Through His Son, God will be with us forever.

‘To us a Child of hope is born…’

These words, taken from the hymn, The Race That Long In Darkness Pined, remind us of just one of the things that Jesus Christ offers to us all – hope. All too often in life, events and circumstances, many outwith our control, seem to dash so many of our hopes, dreams and aspirations, and we can be left feeling with a sense of hopelessness. In our Lord there is always hope, even in the darkest of days, many of which we may have faced in the past months. So come to the Lord today, tell Him all that is in your heart, that in Him you might know that hope that only He can give.

‘Christmas is coming! The Church is glad to sing, and let the Advent candles brightly burn in a ring…’

Yesterday we lit our third Advent candle in Church, reminding us indeed that Christmas will soon be with us. Sadly, of course, we are not able to sing at this time – at least not with our voices. But in our hearts we can rejoice and sing with joy. So let’s do that now – open your hearts to God. Rejoice and give Him thanks for this wonderful time of year. More than ever, after all that has happened this past year – and is still happening – the Good News of Jesus Christ is something we should celebrate and share with others

‘There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse…’ (Isa. 11:1)

The opening chapter of Matthew’s Gospel traces the genealogy of Jesus back to Abraham and if we look closely at that we find Jesse, the Father of King David. In that knowledge, as we read through Isaiah chapter 11 we clearly see that these verses look forward to the coming Messiah – to Jesus Christ Himself – and that should bring great comfort to us, knowing that in His Son God has fulfilled the promise he made through these prophecies all those years ago. So take time today to give thanks to our Lord for all the promises He has made to us and for all the blessings we have received through them, particularly so in the gift of His One and only Son, some to redeem us and to reconcile us to our Father in Heaven.