CHRISTMAS AT MACPHERSON GARDENS
Dear Father, You are so great , clothed with splendour and majest y. I find such encouragement in the clarit y with which you announced Your salvation to the world. Thank You for bringing salvation to me when I was helpless to help myself. Amen
LUKE 1:68–75
68 ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us –
72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
PRAISE BE TO THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, BECAUSE HE HAS COME TO HIS PEOPLE AND REDEEMED THEM.
LUKE 1:68
About230 families and individuals live at MacPherson Gardens, Block 72 in my neighbourhood� Each person has his or her own life story. On the tenth foor resides an elderly woman whose children have grown up, got married and moved out� She lives by herself now� Just a few doors away from her is a young couple with two kids—a boy and a girl. And a few foors below lives a young man serving in the army� He has been to church before; maybe he will visit again on Christmas Day� I met these people last Christmas when our church went carol-singing in the neighbourhood to spread Christmas cheer�
Every Christmas—as on the frst Christmas—there are many people who do not know that God has entered into our world as a baby whose name is Jesus (LUKE 1:68; 2:21). Or they do not know the signifcance of that event—it is “good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (2:10)� Yes, all people! Regardless of our natonality, culture, gender or fnancial status, Jesus came to die for us and ofer us complete forgiveness so that we can be reconciled with Him and enjoy His love, joy, peace and hope. All people, from the woman next door to the colleagues we have lunch with, need to hear this wonderful news!
On the frst Christmas, the angels were the bearers of this joyous news. Today, God desires to work through us to take the story to others. o
POH FANG CHIA
Read today’s passage again. What is your story of God’s redemption (v. 68), salvation (v. 69) and serving Him “in holiness and righteousness” (v. 75)? Who can you share your personal story of God with?
Lord, use me to touch the lives of others with the news of Your coming.