Today’s scripture: Luke 1:46-55 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Brenda Corbello):
Can’t you just imagine the scene? Here is a young woman who is so excited by what is happening to her that she is almost dancing in place. The first thing she needs to do is share her good news. It is just too good to keep to herself.
Have you ever seen a child at the foot of the Christmas tree, opening a gift? When she does, she finds the thing that she wanted more than anything else. She had wished for it and dreamed of it. It had almost been too much to hope for, but here it was — her parents have given her the best gift she has ever received. She has never felt this lucky in her entire life. Pure joy fills her face. Tears pool in her eyes. She jumps up and throws her arms around her parents’ necks and hugs them tightly. She cannot say thanks enough. Then, she wants to immediately call her best friend to share the news. It is just too good not to share.
She feels loved. She feels appreciated. She feels acknowledged. Anything we have that makes us feel this way is the greatest gift we can hope for. These are the things that add real joy to our lives, whether it is an actual present, or an experience we may share with someone. This is pure joy. I have been fortunate enough to have seen this look in the eyes of my children, and I will tell you, there is nothing that gives a parent more joy. I have even had the feeling myself a time or two. Sometimes, even remembering happy times can bring on the feeling.
When was the last time you felt this thankful for something in your life? We are more fortunate than we realize most of the time. We may not be rich. We may have recently suffered a loss. We may have hard times ahead of us. Mary must have known that what she was about to go through would not be easy, but she was not going to let that get in the way of her joy. Most of us have so much we can be thankful for. I know that I do. I hope I can make sure that nothing gets in the way of my joy.
Thought for the day: Take this time, reach out and share your thankfulness, and do not let anything get in the way of your joy.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.