Cross thoughts: Christian ideas seen in Sudanese every day life.
The angel Gabriel said to Mary,
“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus”, Luke 1:31 (NIV).
Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour”, Luke 1:46-47.
Zechariah prophesied, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people”, Luke 1:68.
An angel of the Lord said to the shepherds, “Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger”, Luke 2:11-12.
< Photo: Rokon displaced people early in 2014, by the late Bishop Francis Loyo.
The men looking after their sheep went to look for this Saviour. Terrified at the
appearance and in panic at the presence of God, vs9, they saw Mary, Joseph and the baby with their own eyes. Mary “treasured up all these things”, vs19. The shepherds told everyone they saw, vs17-18,20.
At this time probably nobody knew what was going to happen to this baby Jesus.
The name “Jesus” means “God saves”. Mary realised her son would be her Saviour.
She may not have realised the price of redemption (being redeemed, being made free from sin) would be so high. The life she had brought into the world would have to die in order to reconcile sinful humankind with the Holy Creator God.
God deserves great praise for making this possible.
This baby born to be the world’s Saviour was and is exactly that. He was not only born for the shepherds, or Mary, or Joseph. Jesus was born for you and for me too.
This Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, be at peace (not panic) in the presence of God.
1. Think reflectively on this awesome, history-making, life-changing, event.
2. Take Jesus as your own personal Saviour and Lord. Turn from your life of sin.
3. Tell others about your new-found life as a genuine Christian. Follow Jesus in every
aspect of your life. Live with Jesus as your Lord and show it in all your actions.
December 2014.
Comments