A Word of Blessing (Advent Reading Week 1)

A word spoken at the right moment,

How good it is!

Like a custom-made piece of jewelry.

Proverbs 15:23 and 25:11

Interesting enough, in the Christmas story God communicated to all the different characters in the story with specific words that were custom-made for them and spoken at just the right time. For the next five weeks as with the Advent season in anticipation of Christmas, we are going to explore some of these encounters and be exposed to some miraculous events that happened at Christmas in our present time. These will be in the form of scripts: you may see some similarities to the original Christmas story. You may wish to light a candle each week as you approach the celebration and the wonder of the birth of Jesus.

Words of Hope

In our Christmas story, (Luke 1:26-38) the angel Gabriel was sent to the town of Nazareth with a message for a young virgin by the name of Mary. He told her that she had found favor with God and would conceive a son who she would name Jesus. (Emmanuel-God with us) He would be the Son of the Most High, the greatly anticipated Messiah who would be the One whose birth would bring hope to a lost world. Let’s read our first Christmas script and light our first candle, the candle of HOPE.

First Christmas Script

Narrator: Mary is a young, 20-year-old, single woman. She is a junior in college majoring in Early Childhood Education, because little children have a special place in her heart. She has been dating an older man for about 3 months. She has gone home to spend the Christmas holidays with her family. On Christmas Eve, Mary took an at home pregnancy test, and it read positive. She has no idea what to do about her situation. Her parents will be so disappointed; they have invested a lot in her education. While Mary worries about her seemingly hopeless situation, her mother sends her to the grocery store with a list, to pick up some last-minute items for their Christmas dinner. This is Mary’s story.

Mary: (Thinking to herself) Oh Lord, what am I going to do? I can’t believe what Shane said to me when I called him and told him that I was pregnant. He laughed and said, “How could you be so stupid, Mary? Well, I guess that’s your problem---not mine. How do I know if I am even the father, anyway?” What a fool I have been. I’m not ready to be a mother: I am one year away from finishing my degree. This will ruin my life. How can I possibly take care of a baby when half the time I feel like a child myself? What will my parents say? I will need some help if I decide to go through with this. Some Christmas present.

Narrator: Mary completes her errand at the grocery store and hurries back to her car when a drama unfolds in the parking lot that she will ponder in her heart forever.

Mother/Child: (Impatient) Johnny, I said to hold my hand! Stop trying to pull away! I’ve told you that you need to be careful in parking lots! Would you please behave?

Narrator: Johnny jerks away from his mother and takes off running across the parking lot.

Mother: (Alarmed) Johnny! Stop! Look out!

Narrator: Mary sees a car approach. The driver does not see Johnny, and Johnny is blinded by the lights of the car. Without concern for her safety, Mary runs out and grabs Johnny just in the nick of time---saving his life. Johnny’s mother is hysterical. She scoops Johnny up out of Mary’s arms, drops to the pavement and rocks her son back and forth. She looks at Mary and says…

Mother: I have no idea how to thank you. You nearly sacrificed you own life to save the life of my son, and he is so precious to me. You will make an amazing mother.

Question and Comments

Can you imagine how it must feel to be a young woman who is faced with an unexpectant pregnancy? What might be some of her concerns and fears?

Raising a child in today’s world is both a sacrifice and a challenge, especially when life is not honored the way that God intended. It seems that we are notorious for putting our needs over the needs of others. But children are one of the greatest gifts of God, a gift of infinite value, and should be treated as such. Just as the Christ Child was a gift that brought light into a dark world, the child that you may be carrying has a purpose, custom-made for her life. Maybe this unborn child will be the next Einstein or will cure cancer. But of one thing you can be sure, she will be greatly loved by her heavenly Father, and with his love and his grace, she can move mountains. Only she will be able to shine a love so brightly that no one could ever question her value. How great a blessing!

Words of Blessing

“For you formed my inward parts; you wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me;” (John 14:6)

“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness,” (John 12:46)

“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)