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| VILLA ALESSA December 21, 2022 |
"Blessed are you who believed that
what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
LUKE 1:45
God created us for His glory, and that He has a wonderful plan for our lives. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and to rise again, so that we can have eternal life and fellowship with Him. He also gave us His Holy Spirit, who guides us, empowers us, and fills us with His love, joy, peace, and other fruits. He also gave us His Word, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
What the Lord says, He does. Find your ultimate purpose, joy, and peace in Him. Tust in His promises, obey His commands, and follow His example. Live for His glory and not your own. Being fulfilled in the Lord is not a one-time event, but a lifelong journey. It is not always easy, but it is always rewarding. It is not based on your feelings, but on your faith. It is not dependent on your circumstances, but on your relationship with Him. It is not something you achieve, but something you receive.
Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:39-45)
God loves us so much but do we possess the same degree of deep and sincere affection for God and His will. A lover of God seeks to know Him, worship Him, serve Him, and please Him. A lover of God also loves what God loves, which includes His creation, His Word, His people, and His righteousness.
The Bible uses different words to describe the love of God and the love for God. One of them is agape, which is a Greek word that means unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial love. Agape is the kind of love that God has for us, and that we are called to have for Him and for others. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commands" ( John 14:15 )1. He also said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" ( Mark 12:30 )2. This is the greatest commandment, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself ( Mark 12:31 )2.
Another word for love is philotheia, which is a Greek word that means love or devotion to God. Philotheia is associated with the concepts of worship and piety. Theophilus, which means "friend of God" or "loved by God", is derived from this word. Luke addressed his Gospel and the book of Acts to Theophilus ( Luke 1:3, Acts 1:1 )34, implying that he was a believer who loved God.
A third word for love is ahab, which is a Hebrew word that means affection, attachment, or desire. Ahab is used to describe various kinds of love, such as the love between a husband and a wife, a parent and a child, a friend and a friend, or a person and an object. Ahab is also used to describe the love that God has for His people, and the love that His people have for Him. For example, God said to Israel, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness" ( Jeremiah 31:3 ). David said to God, "I love you, Lord, my strength" ( Psalm 18:1 ).
The true test of our love for God is not in our words, but in our actions. As John wrote, "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth" ( 1 John 3:18 ). May we show our love for God by obeying His commands, following His example, and sharing His gospel.
Hark! My lover, here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills. My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Here he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices. My lover speaks; he says to me: “Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come! For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance. Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come! O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, let me see you, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.” (Song of Songs 2:8-14)
God’s plan and design is based on His perfect wisdom, power, and love. He created everything out of nothing, and He sustains and governs everything by His word. He has a purpose for everything He made, and He works all things according to His will. He is the sovereign Lord of history, and He reveals His plan and design through His word and His works.
God’s plan and design is also centered on His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and the head of the church. He is the one through whom and for whom all things were created. He is the one who came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose again, to save us from our sins and reconcile us to God. He is the one who will come again, to judge the living and the dead, and to establish His eternal kingdom.
God’s plan and design is ultimately for His glory. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. He is the one who does all things for His own sake, and He is worthy of all praise, honor, and worship. He is the one who invites us to share in His glory, and He is the one who will fill all things with His glory.
Give thanks to the Lord on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises. Sing to him a new song; pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness. But the plan of the Lord stands forever; the design of his heart, through all generations. Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield, for in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust. (Psalm 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21)
Lord, I am not an accident, a mistake, or a flaw but a masterpiece of Your grace and awe. I am not a a random product of chance or fate but a chosen vessel of Your love and faith. I am not a slave to sin, fear, or shame but Your child, called by Your name. Thank You so much for making me Your own plan and design, Your glory and Your sign, Your workmanship and Your art, the delight of Your heart. May all the days of my life bring glory to Your Name and may I always be blessed in believing that all Your words would be fulfilled in Your perfect will and time. Amen.
Pericope:
II: The Infancy Narrative
MARY VISITS ELIZABETH
Luke 1:39-45
The Song of Songs by Solomon
A TRYST IN THE SPRING
Song of Songs 2:8-17
First Book of Psalms 1-41
PRAISE OF GOD'S POWER AND PROVIDENCE
Psalm 33:1-22
Reflection Source:
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