Joy To Your World - Children's Advent DevotionalSample

People knew that Mary and Joseph were a couple, but they had never gone to the altar to make their vows to each other and to God. Mary and Joseph weren’t fully married yet. They weren’t living together in the same home. They didn’t share the unique relationship of a husband and wife. So, Mary wondered how she could become pregnant if she was still a virgin.

Gabriel answered her question saying, “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 called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Mary heard Gabriel say, “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). She replied, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Mary’s words of acceptance reveal the foundation of her faith and ours.

If God spoke the world into existence, then God could create his Son within Mary. If God could part the waters of the Red Sea, then Mary could bear His Son. If the Son of God could come to the earth as a baby, live without sin, and then one day choose to die on a cross, be buried, and then resurrected, then Jesus can provide believers salvation and eternal life. If we believe in Christmas, we can believe in Easter too!

The prophet Jeremiah talked about consuming the word of God so that it would become a joy and delight to his heart. (Jeremiah 15:16). Each year, we should consume the story of Christmas once again, allowing the words of the story to bring us His perfect joy.

Mary was given an extraordinary calling. She would carry the Son of God and then bring him into this world as a newborn baby. She accepted God’s calling because she knew that with God all things are possible and his ways are perfect.

When Mary agreed to be the person that God was calling her to be, she had great joy. The same is true for us. Whatever God plans is possible and perfect. Are you ready to accept whatever God wants for your life? If so, His great joy can be yours too!