GPS for the week of December 15th, 2024
“My Soul Magnifies the Lord, and My Spirit Rejoices in God My Savior”
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“Mary sings about the future in the past tense, because to the
eyes of faith, God’s victory has already happened, and it is radical
stuff. God has brought down the powerful from their thrones and
lifted up the lowly, filled the hungry with good things, and sent the
rich away empty. The world has been turned upside down: power
no longer belongs to the rich; food (which means life) is available
to the hungry poor; those who already have enough aren’t getting
more (Cynthia M. Campbell).”
Dear Lord, help us to live joyfully in your upside-down world.
Amen.
Monday 12.16 “And he shall be the one of peace.”
Micah 5:2-5a
“But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little
clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to
rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in
labor has brought forth; then the rest of his kindred shall return to
the people of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the
strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his
God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the
ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.” We will
encourage those around us as we trust our Lord to give us peace.
Tuesday 12.17 “The Mighty One has done great things for me.”
Luke 1:46-55
“‘And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the
lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will
call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from
generation to generation.’” Mary was not troubled that she had no
power or prestige in this world. Her spirit rejoiced in the Lord of
life.
Wednesday 12.18 “He has filled the hungry with good things.”
Luke 1:46-55
“He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud
in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful
from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry
with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped
his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the
promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his
descendants for ever.’” Mary trusted God’s promise with grace
and joy.
Thursday 12.19 “When Christ came into the world.”
Hebrews 10:5-10
“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you
have prepared for me; in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you
have taken no pleasure. Then I said, “See, God, I have come to
do your will, O God” (in the scroll of the book it is written of me).’”
Jesus was born into our world to serve God and bring life to us.
Friday 12.20 “We have been sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for
all.”
Hebrews 10:5-10
“When he said above, ‘You have neither desired nor taken
pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sin-
offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added,
‘See, I have come to do your will.’ He abolishes the first in order
to establish the second. And it is by God’s will that we have been
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for
all.” This is a powerful mystery that will change us forever.
Saturday 12.21 “Blessed are you among women.”
Luke 1:39-45
“In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town
in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and
greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the
child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among
women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this
happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For
as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my
womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there
would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’”
Elizabeth knew the power of God and rejoiced in Mary’s
faithfulness and the blessing of new life in Jesus.