B O XI N G DAY
CHRISTMAS AT MACPHERSON GARDENS Dear Father, You are so great, clothed with splendour and majesty. I find such encouragement in the clarity with which you announced Your salvation to the world. Thank You for bringing salvation to me when I was helpless to help myself. Amen
L UKE 1 :6 8–75 ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 68
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
69
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
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salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us – 71
to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 72
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 74
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bout 230 families and individuals live at MacPherson Gardens, Block 72 in my neighbourhood. Each person has his or her own life story. On the tenth floor resides an ISRAEL, BECAUSE elderly woman whose children have grown up, got married and moved out. She lives by HE HAS COME TO herself now. Just a few doors away from her HIS PEOPLE AND is a young couple with two kids—a boy and a girl. And a few floors below lives a young man REDEEMED THEM. serving in the army. He has been to church LUKE 1:68 before; maybe he will visit again on Christmas Day. I met these people last Christmas when our church went carol-singing in the neighbourhood to spread Christmas cheer. Every Christmas—as on the first Christmas—there are many people who do not know that God has entered into our world as a baby whose name is Jesus (LUKE 1:68; 2:21). Or they do not know the significance of that event—it is “good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (2:10). Yes, all people! Regardless of our nationality, culture, gender or financial status, Jesus came to die for us and offer us complete forgiveness so that we can be reconciled with Him and enjoy His love, joy, peace and hope. All people, from the woman next door to the colleagues we have lunch with, need to hear this wonderful news! On the first Christmas, the angels were the bearers of this joyous news. Today, God desires to work through us to take the story to others. o
PRAISE BE TO THE LORD, THE GOD OF
POH FANG CHIA
Read today’s passage again. What is your story of God’s redemption (v. 68), salvation (v. 69) and serving Him “in holiness and righteousness” (v. 75)? Who can you share your personal story of God with?
Lord, use me to touch the lives of others with the news of Your coming.
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