Miracle of Birth After Fear

We were told that in the Miracle of Advent, there were many birth miracles and that we would be brought to revisit and respond to just a few of them. During this week, we shall be looking at three of them. Though they are very familiar, they will take on miraculous new birth, in all of us who will receive.  

The first miracle of birth offered to us, which is born from the Miracle of the Birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, is the new birth of the frightened shepherds. They are now so changed, so full of new, excited, hopeful and different life, that they have no choice but to, spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. Luke 2: 17b. 

As you continue in this third week of 2024, I want you to know that you are telling others many things, just by your mere, everyday responses. You are spreading tidings to someone, who is looking at you and hearing your words, and you may not even be conscious of this fact.

I now share with you an experience of how I received grace, change, and new birth, through an ordinary and most obvious action or response. This came as healing news to my complacent, stagnant, and staid life.

I was thankful to see another Covenant Lord’s Day Sunday, grateful for life, hope and all that I had been given. I had awakened that Covenant Sunday, thankful for God’s faithfulness and goodness to me. But I tell you, I only knew how very cold, old and confined in my living I was, when I was totally shaken out of it by the voices of Covenant Sunday morning worshippers. This is exactly what happened.

One of my sisters and I, she who had come to spend some time with me, over the Christmas holidays, at very short notice, decided and agreed that we would not go to Church on Covenant Sunday morning. Instead, we would join the live Covenant Sunday at one of the congregations I attend. Their Church Service was being streamed live on Television. I don’t know how this affected my sister, but I do know that the singing of the hymns certainly affected me in a way I had never expected nor anticipated. When I heard the singing, I was dampened. There seemed to be no encouragement in the voices of the congregation and the hymns, though beautiful, meaningful and full of life themselves, became as dirges to me.

Here’s my testimony concerning Covenant Sunday. In the denomination, to which I belong, the first Sunday in every year, is celebrated as Covenant Sunday. It is a period when, after the Advent Celebration, I am held in a time of cleansing or purification of all of me, before I offer my changed self, afresh to God. Indeed! Beyond the shadow of a doubt, it is a most solemn time, but it is a deeply blessed and privileged time. The truth is, when I think that God Almighty wants to make covenant with me, with you, sinners of the deepest dye, I am totally and utterly left with no choice but to gladly give all of me to Him. Have you thought of it?

Don’t you also think of this from time to time? Creator, Sovereign God, wants to live in partnership with that which He has created. He does not force His way on us, nor does He threaten, nor bully us to be covenant-partners with Him. These and other life-stirring facts pour the Lord’s Love into us, so that we want to make covenant with Him and renew covenant with Him. That alone puts zeal and strength into our hearts, minds and spirits, so that we give spirited praise for such favour and mercy.

However, something changed in me and I was left in a state of resignation and sheer sadness and confusion, as I seemed to have lost the blessedness and sacredness of this service of consecration or offering and the re-committing of all I am and have to God, the Giver of life.

We continue this tomorrow.