Faces of Grace: Mary
Mary was a young teen living in the town of Nazareth, in the hills of Galilee. She came from an impoverished but honorable family. Her family was descendants of Israel’s King David. She was trained in the Scriptures and knew that God had promised to send the Messiah, who would rescue the people of Israel and become their king.
Every Jewish girl dreamed of being the mother of the Messiah. Mary loved God and wanted to serve him with all of her heart, but she was just a young girl from a humble family, with no great expectations that her life was going to be any different from her mother’s or from that of the other women in her town.
The Cradle that led to the Cross
These words by Max Lucado, are so perfect for us to have and reflect on today on Christmas Day. "It could have begun anywhere, the story of the king. But, curiously, it began in a manger.The noise and the bustle began earlier than usual in the village. As night gave way to dawn, people were already on the streets. Vendors were positioning themselves on the corners of the most heavily traveled avenues. Store owners were unlocking the doors to their shops. Children were awakened by the excited barking of the street dogs and the complaints of donkeys pulling carts.The owner of the inn had awakened earlier than most in the town.