"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer
Saturday, March 25, 2022 - Day 84 - (Today’s Bible readings: 2 Chronicles 9:1-12; Psalm 79; Luke 7:36-50)
THE ANNUNCIATION OF OUR LORD
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38)
March 25 has been set aside to remember the Annunciation of Our Lord. The Annunciation is when the Angel Gabriel visited the Virgin Mary announcing to her that she would be the mother of the Son of God. His announcement was made 9 months before December 25, Christmas.
The annunciation and the ensuing miraculous conception of Jesus marks the first step of our Lord’s humiliation. This is the moment he took on human flesh for “us men and for our salvation.”
In spite of the richness of this festival, it is really about Jesus, about the incarnation, about God becoming human. Mary’s remarkable faith, is but one feature in the story. Her status as most favored, chosen to be the birth-giver of God, are surpassed by the splendor of that event of which she was the chosen vessel, the entrance of God into the world.
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Gabriel to announce the good news to Mary, and to all of mankind, that Your were about to send Your Son to earth. May our ultimate joy be found in Jesus’ completed mission on our behalf, namely, the salvation of the world by means of His substitutionary death on the cross. Keep us faithful and grateful. In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.
“See” you in church tomorrow!
Pastor David Paape
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105 ), is the theme for this three-year journey through the entire Old Testament once (the Psalms - twice yearly), and the New Testament twice. There will be daily readings from the O.T., Psalms and the N.T. Special days on the church calendar will be highlighted with appropriate readings. This calendar has been compiled by representatives of the Lutheran Church of Canada, the North American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Please click this link for the daily reading calendar:
The “assigned” daily readings will appear on a daily basis in this blog. May the Lord bless your meditation upon His precious life-giving Word!
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