Reading through Luke with Mom's Toolbox

With Mom's Toolbox, I completed reading Proverbs , every day for the past one month. Using her SOAP devotional format, it made it easier to focus, apply and pray specifically. So, I decided to follow her on the next read too. This month we are following the readings from the gospel of Luke.

From doing a devotion (The One Year Women's Friendship Devotional)together with a friend living in the U.S, last week we both had doubts and uncertainties as to how we celebrate Christmas, what are our family traditions, being caught in the frenzy of consumerism. All the frenzy part didn't apply to us as our cultures were different.But this really got me thinking two things:

1. What Christmas really meant to me?
2. What traditions (non consumer related)can I instill in my family and carry it on for years to come?

Reading Luke, this week felt like I was in the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth, moving with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, witnessing those things that astonished Mary and how she pondered over it and kept in her heart. It has never been this rich and vivid to me, compared to the million times I have read these parts.

As embarrassed I am to admit, but for many years even after I became a Christian , my knowledge of the Bible was from the Jesus movies and Ten Commandments. My mom and brother had a good laugh each time I said something from the Bible but was actually from the movie!They did enjoy rubbing it in my face, way too many times.

So for the first time, I didn't have images from the movie as I read, but images of emotions and God's working in the lives of these four individuals(Elizabeth/Zechariah and Joseph/Mary) and the characters around them.

Two things that stood out to me in Luke 1 was;

1.God showed favor on Mary, Elizabeth and Zechariah.(1:6,25,28)
2.They were filled with the Holy Spirit and sang to the Lord.(1:41,67)

Prayer: Show favor on me and fill me with the Holy Spirit.

From Luke 2:

A. Several verses says how Mary and Joseph:
1. Marveled at what was said about Him,
2. Treasured up all these things and pondered them in their heart(1:19,33,47,51)

Imagine the emotions running through them as God fulfills one promise after the other, assures them that God is in control and that this Baby is truly the Son of God, Christ Himself.

B. The prophesies of Simeon and Anna (affirming God's plan and strengthening Mary and Joseph for what is yet to come.)

C. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.(1:52).A prayer that I pray over my children, that they grow in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and men.