The second Sunday in Advent involves lighting another candle on our Advent wreath. Traditionally each Sunday in Advent highlights a portion of the Christmas story. The angels and their glorious message to the shepherds are typically featured in most churches on the second Sunday of Advent, but in this devotion I took a look at another angelic messenger and the news he brought to a certain young woman in Nazareth. Please do not feel obligated to read it all unless you want to!
I gazed at the land below. It was a small, but significant sliver, hinged between the power houses of the ancient world. From top to bottom, its soil was as varied as the creatures that lived there. Yet it was the object of the Master's devotion and even more so, those who lived there were so precious to Him, I was on my way to once again announce His plan of salvation. From its inception, these creatures fought with the Master's will, and yet in wisdom, He gave them the reason by which to choose to obey it or not. Perhaps the reason they often chose to rebel was that they were created after one such as I. My intellect, emotion and will were set on obedience to the Master who had created me, but these creatures often preferred just the opposite. My fellow messengers and I stared in amazement when the substitute of lamb's blood reconciled them for a short time with Him, while many of our companions had been evicted from His presence when led astray by the Star of the Morning*. And now, to add to the mystery of this Good News, the Master was about to set in motion the ultimate reconciliation between His wayward creatures and Himself. And even more amazingly, He was about to do this through one of these creatures; although this one was more righteous than the rest.
If you were an angel, you would be one of God's most glorious creations. You would have been created before the world was spoken into being; before the stars and planets began their travels through the sky; and before Sin ever tainted the wonderful world God had made. After you witnessed God's handiwork in forming the land and sea, you would have joined with the legions of other angels in singing His praises and serving Him in His holiness. You would have been assigned a rank which would designate what kind of duties you were to perform before your Master or for your Master. You would also have a will, the ability to think and feel, and be perfectly suited to exist in the presence of a holy and just God.
There are only three angels in the Bible of which we know their names: Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel. Some Jewish and Christian traditions name other angels, but those names are never found in Scripture. While Lucifer is always associated with the rebellious angels who tried to overthrow God the Father, and Michael is associated with warfare against God and His people (primarily Israel), Gabriel is always connected with announcements about the Messiah. He explains Daniel's vision (Dan. 8:16) concerning the Messiah. He reveals the timing of the first advent of the Messiah (Dan. 9:21). He announces to Zacharias the coming birth and role of John the Baptist as the Messiah's forerunner. And he delivers the news to Mary that she is the one God has chosen to bear the Son of the Most High, a title connected to the Messiah.
I have often wondered what the highly intelligent, complex and magnificent Gabriel must have thought as he sped to earth to deliver the message of salvation to a lowly Jewish girl in the little village of Nazareth. What did he see when he looked into the face of this devout young teen who in accordance with the culture of the day was engaged to a man and waiting for her betrothal period to come to a conclusion. To say she was a very unlikely candidate to bear the Son of God is a gross understatement! It's inconceivable to think, but Scripture is clear about this, that is, salvation is a mystery to angels! It is not a mystery in the sense that they cannot understand it, but more in the Biblical sense in that the ability to obtain it has not been offered to them, but to humankind instead. But that is what Peter is writing about when in 1 Peter 1:12 he states that the promises of the Gospel are "things which the angels long to look into".
Many people are just as perplexed about this message today as Mary was when she first heard it. "How can this be?" she inquires. What are some of the questions you've heard? How can that story be true? It's just a fairy tale. Mary was a virgin and she was pregnant? That's biologically impossible! And to make matters more complicated, the real meaning of Christmas has been changed to remove the God-factor altogether. Christmas is about family. Christmas is about getting and giving. Christmas is about world peace. Christmas is a three-day weekend and not much more. But like the angels, those who believe that message of salvation are the ones who bear the message of the real meaning of Christmas. The message is that God has broken into human history in the form of a tiny baby in order to save the world from sin. And in spite of its unusual aspects, "Nothing is impossible with God" (Lk. 1:37).
* From Isaiah 14:12; Luke 10:18. Lucifer is the Latin name which means "light bearer" that was derived from images of these two passages. But the actual words in the Hebrew from the Book of Isaiah are "Star of the Morning".
such an important message, ann. very lovely! i won't tire of greeting people "merry Christmas". i'm sure there will come a time when i will burned at the stake for not being politically correct. but until then, it's merry Christmas!
@vposey Thank you Vickie! Interestingly, it's just the way the camera read the light because all the lights were on in the sanctuary when I took it. I even brought the exposure up a bit in post processing. Yes- the month (and final days of 2012) are really flying by!
@olivetreeann It is not that we do not observe it, but not in the tradional way with the calendar and candles like some churches do. Our Pastor used to prepare, and give sermons each Sunday leading up to Christmas.
@bkbinthecity Thank you very much Brian! @sarasdadandmom Thank you Terry! @pjonas Thank you Patty! @alia_801 Thank you Alia! @jackie8 Thank you Jackie! I do. And I love to share it, but I also want to be respectful of other's wishes. Which is why reading the longer piece is always optional! @la_photographic Thank you Laura! @sangwann Thank you Dione! I imagine it's quite beautiful from the pictures which you've posted of your beautiful sanctuaries. @henrir Thank you Henri! @cimes1 Thank you Carole!
Thank you to all. I am posting these pieces more for myself and for the monthly calendar view, but I am so appreciative that you take the time to read them. They are very close to my heart.
A lovely candle shot, Ann! You captured them so well! I can't wait to see them all lit! The colors of the candles themselves are pretty and you caught the flames perfectly. Well done! :)
@prttblues Thanks Bev! I've never seen candles like this before- they are not really wax. They are some kind of resin and hollow in the lower portion. You can just barely see the seam on the white one in this shot. They unscrew and oil goes in there. The wick dips down into the oil and absorbs it; then is lit as it comes through the gold tip on top. This way the candle never has to be replaced, just the oil. The flames also burn more consistently this way. All in all, it's a very pretty Advent wreath!
@ellimae Thank you Ellen!
@summerfield Thank you Vikki! (very true!)
@nicolecampbell Thank you Nicole!
@karenann Thank you Karenann! Glad to see you checking in!
Thank you all for reading my piece and taking a look at the picture! I am so thankful for all of you! And Merry Christmas to you too!
@sarasdadandmom Thank you Terry!
@pjonas Thank you Patty!
@alia_801 Thank you Alia!
@jackie8 Thank you Jackie! I do. And I love to share it, but I also want to be respectful of other's wishes. Which is why reading the longer piece is always optional!
@la_photographic Thank you Laura!
@sangwann Thank you Dione! I imagine it's quite beautiful from the pictures which you've posted of your beautiful sanctuaries.
@henrir Thank you Henri!
@cimes1 Thank you Carole!
Thank you to all. I am posting these pieces more for myself and for the monthly calendar view, but I am so appreciative that you take the time to read them. They are very close to my heart.
@lyno You're welcome and thank you Lyn!!