ADVENT: Dec. 7

Read I Kings 1 Kings 18   Key verse:  "The LORD--He is God!  Yes, the LORD is God!" (vs.29b)

"How can this be?"

Mary's question is our question.  The story of Christmas is nice and sweet, but could it really have happened?  The angel answered Mary by saying that the power of the most high would overshadow her.  The Bible is filled with wonderful examples of the power of God.  In one great example the prophet Elijah is doing battle with the false god of Baal.  Wood was placed on an altar on Mt. Carmel and a contest was held to see which God could send down fire to burn the sacrifice.  The prophets of Baal called on their god most of the day with no success.  Elijah then had water poured on the wood again and again until it was completely soaked then called on God, "O LORD, answer me!  Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself."  God heard Elijah"s prayer and "immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood,, the stones, and the dust.  It even licked up all the water in the trench!  And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, 'the LORD--he is God!  Yes, the LORD is God!"(I Kings 18:37-39)


We all have a tendency to want to chase after false gods such as possessions, power, popularity, and pleasure , but they never satisfy.  Christmas reminds us that God loves us enough and is powerful enough to meet our deepest needs.  When we trust Him, He will overshadow us and demonstrate that He alone is God.  And out of His working in our lives, a Life will grow in us that causes us to be more like Jesus and fills our hearts with love peace and joy.  Christ wants to demonstrate his power in your life to let you know that he is bringing you back to Himself.  The incarnation is God's power at work to bring a lost world back to Himself.  Trusting Him places us into that process.


How can this be?  The God of Elijah is our God as well.  Elijah was a man with a nature just like ours (James 5:17) and his faith produced amazing results.  Mary was a woman with a nature just like ours and her faith led to the coming of the Son of God into our world.  The LORD, he is God!