LHM Advent Devotion - December 24, 2017 "THE RIGHT TIME"

Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

"THE RIGHT TIME"

December 24, 2017

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

~ Luke 2:6 (ESV)

"The time came." Every pregnant woman knows the weight of this expression. From the beginning of the pregnancy, we are always waiting, counting-when will the baby be due? When will the morning sickness end? When will we see the baby on ultrasound? And most of all, right at the end, how many more days am I going to have to carry this heavy baby around!?

But the time did finally come for Mary to give birth. Humanly speaking, it was the worst time possible-far from home, away from family, sheltering among animals, reduced to using a feedbox for a cradle. No doubt Mary and Joseph would have preferred something better. But God the Father chose this particular time and place for His Son to enter the world. Looking back, we can see why-this is the Savior who came "not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28b).

The time came. But with that, a new time of waiting began. As an adult, Jesus said several times, "My time has not yet come" (John 7:6, 8:20; Matthew 26:18; John 2:4). And what time is this? The time He would suffer and die to redeem us all, so that we could be freed from sin and become children of God.

It was for this time that Jesus came into the world-to rescue us, to redeem us, to raise us to new and everlasting life through the power of His own resurrection. Paul tells us, "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die-but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8).

That tiny baby has become our Redeemer and Savior. Today is the right time for us to trust in Him.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your kindness to us, being born into our world and suffering and dying and rising, all at the right time for us. Keep us with You forever. Amen.

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"The time came." Every pregnant woman knows the weight of this expression.