Luke 2:11 - God Is Not Silent!
God Is Not Silent
"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord!" (Luke 2:11, NIV)
After 400 years or so of absent manifestations of God to His people, the angel Gabriel makes several appearances to several individuals regarding the coming birth of the Messiah.
In Luke 1:11-20, the angel Gabriel appears to the priest Zechariah and tells him that he and his wife, Elizabeth, will have a son whom they will name John. John was “to go on before the Lord.” Years later (Mark 1:7), John says as he goes around preaching and baptizing people, “After me will come one more powerful than I. … I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In Luke 1:26-35, the angel Gabriel appears to a virgin named Mary and tells her that she is to have a son. Mary is to name her son Jesus and “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32).
In Matthew 1:20-21, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph and says, “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
The climax of these angelic visitations was when the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, proclaiming, “… I bring you good news of great joy for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).
Those many years when God seemed absent to His chosen race, He was preparing to send His only Son Jesus into the world to redeem a lost humanity. Has God seemed silent in your life this past year or two? I want to encourage you to be hopeful. A Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord!
Dear Father, during this season, help us take courage and be hopeful that You are present in our lives even when it feels like You are not. Give us faith to believe You will intervene. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
- Linda Martin (Cree), Manitoba, Canada
With the angel choirs, we, too, glorify and praise God for the peace that comes with knowing He has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus, our beloved Savior. We also rejoice that He has brought us together to share this Good News with our Native American brothers and sisters that they, too, may believe.
Wishing you God's blessings this Christmas and New Year!