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We are the Work of His Hands
Andrea Lende • January 31, 2021
Luke 1:13-15
We are the Work of His Hands
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/We-are-the-Work-of-His-Hands-epnahk
Luke 1:13-15
“But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you must call his name John [God is favorable].”
“And you shall have joy and exultant delight, and many will rejoice over his birth.”
“For he will be great and distinguished in the sight of the Lord.”
John the Baptist.
The one who would precede Jesus.
The one who would prepare the people for Jesus.
He had such an amazing role to play in readying the flock for the Savior.
His parents were part of this plan as they were visited by an angel and told of his destiny.
How beautiful it was to see God work this miracle out before them.
But as I read our passage today, I thought about the end of the story.
He would have been in his early thirties when he was jailed and eventually killed.
Beheaded in jail.
Unjustly killed because of a young girl who was fancied by the king.
A young girl given anything she wanted, and she chose the head of John the Baptist.
No trial.
No jury.
No judge.
Just a young girl asking for his head.
Asking for his death.
Seems like such an injustice.
But somehow it wasn’t.
The plan for his life had been fulfilled.
It was done.
Our verse says John the Baptist was great in God’s sight.
He was held in high esteem by the Lord.
He was held in high esteem but not the kind we would value today, I’m afraid.
He didn’t have riches.
He wasn’t popular by human standards.
He spent a fair amount of time alone in the desert.
He lived a very humble life.
But the Lord considered him to be great.
I am convicted that we do need not pursue worldly things to give us the feeling that we are good enough.
The Lord looks at us differently than the world looks at us.
In the Lord’s eyes we are beautiful.
In the Lord’s eyes we are lovely.
We are the work of His hands and He adores us.
We have the only real approval we need in the Lord.
Today I choose to sit in the presence of the Lord and allow Him to show me the beauty He has created in me.
May you rejoice in knowing the Lord loves you and adores you.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for reminding me You adore me. Thank You for reminding me I need not chase after the approval of others. You created me and made me for Your purpose. You created me to worship You. Help me worship You, Lord. Help me worship You in all things and through all things. You are great! You are greatly to be praised! Thank You, Father, for making me exactly as You determined to make me. Help me see the beauty in Your creation. Help me see me as You see me. May I sit in Your presence for a few precious moments today and bask in the glory of Your love. May you fill my spirit with Your overflowing love so I may love others. Help me offer grace and mercy as You do. Help me forgive as easily and completely as You do. Make me lovely, Lord. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I made you My child and you are perfect in My sight.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and loving Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.