ALL I REALLY WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS FAITH

Luke 1: 26-38, 45
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God."

38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

God of Wonders-
You never cease to amaze me with the things You do. The world was expecting the long promised King to appear with pomp and circumstances in a plush palace, born to a rich virgin princess. Instead, the Promised One came in an unadorned package to an ordinary girl with an extraordinary princess heart, in the rural countryside, far from the royal palace.

You revealed Yourself to this normal young girl who could have been my own daughter. Though she was only a child, she had faith to believe You. I can only imagine her fear when the angel appeared with the incredible news that she would give birth to the Son of God Most High. Yet she did not waiver in her faith. She simply believed that nothing was impossible for You. She humbly accepted the gift You gave her, and the responsibility that came with it. Then, she found a faithful friend and worshipped You with a joyful heart.

If You are pleased with me and want to grant my request, all I really want for Christmas is the faith of Mary to believe You. I want to recognize the no-frills, fabulous, fruitful gift of faith. When You speak to me through Bible study, prayer, friends, and circumstances I want to marvel at the mysteries of Your will. Confidently and graciously, I will accept the unembellished box believing in the beauty of its contents. With the humble faithful heart of a servant, I will accept the responsibility entrusted to me by delivering Jesus, the Holy Son of God Most High to a cold, dark, dreary world.

With a merry melody in my heart, I worship You, my adoring Heavenly Father, for offering me the fabulous, fruitful gift of faith. Amen.

Have you truly received the gift of faith? If so, the angel of God Most High has spoken to you. Deliver the Holy Child to someone this Christmas … share the Good News with a lost soul, serve someone needy, love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, reach out and give someone Jesus.