True Blue Faith

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Reflect:

It is, again, the time of year to decorate the house for Christmas. One of my favorite things is setting up the nativity sets, of which we have three. I love visualizing this wonderful scene. I carefully unwrap each piece and set it in place. Then I step back and notice a similarity between each set: Mary is wearing a blue garment. Each set has a different shade of blue: a baby blue, a pinkish blue, a dark blue, but a shade of blue nevertheless. Blue: the color of faith.

Imagine the faith that Mary must have had at that time: faith in God’s promise to her that she, a virgin, was going to deliver the Messiah; faith in God’s love for her; and faith in God’s eternal love, eternal life in heaven. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

It is so easy to get caught up in all the commercial aspects of Christmas, but as Mary did, we must close our eyes and focus our hearts on the unseen — the promise of God’s eternal love. After the holidays, the decorations and the nativity set will be wrapped up and packed away until next year, but God’s love for us is ever-present.

Act:

Read the Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke, reflect on Mary’s unbelievable faith, and know that God provides the same love to you.

Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for entrusting Mary to be the mother of Your son, Jesus. Thank You for giving us Your son to be our Savior. Thank You for your unfailing love for me and help me have the faith of Mary. Please help my unbelief when my faith is tested. In Your name we pray, amen.

Gregg and Susan Sprow