Following the Star

Pause

God loves you.

Such a simple phrase and yet so hard to wrap our brains around some days. In these busy days of Advent leading up to Christmas, let’s pause as we think about this week of love. Today, may you be reminded of one of the ways God loves you.

Listen

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Luke 1:30-33

Think

When I read stories in the Bible, I sometimes pretend that I don’t know what is going to happen, like I am reading them for the very first time. When I read the Bible verses today and pretend I don’t know what is happening, my brain glitches and I think “Wait, what?!” What in the world does all of this mean? I imagine what Mary was hearing — or not hearing — since she might not have gotten over an angel standing in the room with her.

It got me thinking, I want God to tell me what is going on. I like to know everything in advance. Here, God actually does say what is going to happen, but I’m not sure it helps explain anything.

Reading this helps me know that God’s plans are so much bigger than I can ever dream, that even if God does explain the plan to me, I think God should start with: “Don’t be afraid, I’m about to tell you the craziest thing ever.”

Ruth Perkins Lee

Pray

God, I love when you share parts of the plan with me. Help me to see the parts I need to know. Help me to trust you for the parts I don’t. Amen.

Go

Go now knowing that you are loved by God. You always have been. You always will be.

Go and share that love with the whole world. Make sure everybody knows.