Seeing
Daily Devotion for Advent 2020 | Friday, December 11
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name.”
(Luke 1:46-49)
Do you see me? That is a question a lot of people would like to ask God. We know that we are so little, so lowly, in a vast universe filled with terrible, wonderful, glorious things—why should God be concerned with us? Some people feel this so strongly that they refuse to believe in Jesus—they can’t get over the idea that God would actually see them, would actually care.
But Mary knows the truth. Humble as she is, she knows that God has done the unthinkable—He has taken notice of her, even her! And He has chosen her. And so, like Hagar before her (Genesis 16), she says, “God has seen me. God has looked on me, and seen my situation. I matter to the living God.”
You matter to the living God. Though He is high and lifted up, glorious above all the heavens, He has come near to you. He has come into your world as a human being just like you—One who shares your suffering, knows your fears and griefs, carries your guilt and shame. Why? Because little as you are, He loves you, and He wants you to be His own. He will give you life forever, because you trust in Him, and you are His. You are blessed.
Lord, help me to truly trust in You, that You see me and love me. Amen.
Reflect & Discuss
- Have you ever felt like you didn’t matter?
- Is being seen by God always a good thing, do you think?
- How do you know that God sees and cares about you?
Brought to you in partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries – lhm.org/advent
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About These Devos
GOD WITH US Advent Devotions 2020
Christmas is a time for reflecting. We think of holidays past and the one that’s upon us. As you read the messages of God With Us, consider the many ways that God is present in your life—through His Word, your loved ones, the fellowship of believers, Holy Communion, and more. His love for us is personal. He proved that in a Bethlehem manger—God’s only Son born for all mankind, so that through the Christ Child we might know life with Him forevermore.
Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) is a Christian outreach ministry supporting churches worldwide in its mission of Bringing Christ to the Nations—and the Nations to the Church.