Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! What a reason to celebrate! For so long Israel struggled with turning away from God and turning back and away again. The book of Isaiah which I recently finished reading is truly a cycle of this turning away and returning to God. However though His people remained in this cycle of sinfullness, God made this promise to his chosen people, Isaiah 53:4-6 "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smittened by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." God fulfilled His promise and Jesus was born in Bethlehem those many years ago. God is so faithful to his promises, he doesn't turn away from us even though we continually do that to him. I can only pray that I can have the kind of faith that Mary did when she said, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:38. She was just told of her that she is "Highly favored, that the Lord is with her." Luke 1:28 That she will be the mother of the Son of God. I hope when can more carefully weigh when we say, "May the Lord be with you." "And also with you." That God may have something big in store for us that if we truly want the Lord with us that we come to Him with willing hearts and can have a reply like Mary's. I know I never would have imagined being in Sierra Leone several years ago. I did know that I wanted the Lord with me and I wanted to be open to His work. Now here I am and I pray that I will have Mary's approach each and every day.
In His Love, Merry Christmas!
Jaimie