2MefromHim Devotional – The Greatest Gift

I am recovering from hand surgery, so I am posting Christmas devotionals written in the past this month. I hope you are blessed!

2MefromHim Devotional

 

“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to

become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision

or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12, 13 NIV

 

I am a mother because two young women chose to make selfless decisions and place their babies for adoption, choosing my husband and me to be parents in their place. Mary’s story has a very special place in my heart.

 

An unplanned pregnancy in a young, unmarried girl, betrothed, living in a small, very religious town, with a fantastic explanation is not what most would consider a gift. Luke, reports that Mary was “greatly troubled” at the words of the angel who announced she would be with child by the Holy Spirit.

 

Mary’s struggles are not recorded, but Matthew and Luke tell the story of a young girl whose story was believed by very few. She makes a hurried visit her aged Aunt Elizabeth, who confirms Mary’s story, greeting her, by saying “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”

 

Joseph, Mary’s fiancée didn’t believe her story. He planned to divorce her until and angel visited him, assuring him that what she said was the truth. He took her as his wife, thus becoming Jesus’ adoptive, earthly father. These two young people must have had many questions, but they trusted God.

 

I love to read the gospel stories again every year, concentrating on the faith of Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, the shepherds, and wise men. A common thread runs through them all—belief in something outside the realm of human experience.

 

The only way God could forgive my sin was by receiving a perfect sacrifice, one without blemish or defect. Since man is sinful, He did the only thing He could, He came to earth Himself, in human form—wholly God and wholly man. He lived a sinless life and died for our sins, so that by believing in Him, I might be saved.

 

This Christmas, accept the gift of the Christ Child, the greatest gift ever given. The child sought by shepherds and wise men, is the method God chose to free us from our sin. By accepting Christ’s death on your behalf, and believing in His promise to forgive your sin and grant you eternal life, you receive the good gift of God, the greatest gift of all. Then share the gift with someone else.

 

© Copyright December 7, 2012 by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman

About the author:

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, set in Scotland and New Mexico released in April 2014. She is a former Bible Study Fellowship discussion leader who established the first weekly women’s Bible studies in her church in 2003 and continues to lead a weekly small group. Her devotionals, poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She has led weekly women’s Bible studies for 19 years. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, FaithWriters, and the New Mexico Christian Novelists. She is a former RN and homeschool/soccer mom who loves family research, history, and Scotland. Norma lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 38 years. They have two adult children.

 

www.normagail.org

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Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Land-My-Dreams-Norma-Gail/dp/1941103170/ or

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/land-of-my-dreams-norma-gail/1119606864 ?ean=9781941103173