Beginning of Luke

So in my last post I wrote a few "resolution" type goals for myself for this new year (2011!!!). They all look really good in writing, and they are all things I desire to do/grow in SO very much. but I was thinking about them more on Sunday morning and I realized those are things that will take effort and some change on my part. I can say those things and it's all well and good, but I can't just keep living the same way and expect those things to change on their own. What's the point of writing them down just to forget them? So I'm going to try to be really conscious of them. Some of them are also things I need God's help with. They also go hand in hand, for example by staying in God's word and praying often, I will be able to love on people more naturally. That seems to be how it works out. Find yourself in God, and everything else clicks in place.

SO anyway, that said, I decided that I should pick a book of the Bible to start reading in. I have a daily devotional, which I LOVE, but I feel the need for something else to go with it. I decided to start in Luke. I read part of chapter 1 today (1-55). I was really interested in the fact that the gospel, Luke is sort of connected with the book of Acts! My Bible has notes in the beginning of the chapters and it also said that Luke is "noted for his interest in various classes of people"...I thought that was cool. Apparently in his account there are details about women and children that aren't in the other gospels simply because he noticed them. I like that.

In the verses that I just read Luke is writing about Zachariah, Elizabeth, and Mary.
Zachariah and Elizabeth couldn't have children for years and years. An angel comes to Zechariah and tells him that Elizabeth will have a child. The verses that stuck out to me from this part were 11-13.

11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear took possession of him.

13But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition [k]was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you must call his name John [God is favorable].


Zachariah saw the angel and was afraid. The angel tells him about his son to be named John and Zachariah doubts him, as a result of this his voice is taken away.
A similar thing happens to Mary when angel Gabriel came to her. She was also afraid...

28And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one [[w]endued with grace]! The Lord is with you! [x]Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women!

29But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled and disturbed and confused at what he said and kept revolving in her mind what such a greeting might mean.

The angel said to Mary "the Lord is with you" "Blessed are you!" and still she became afraid at what he was saying. She was "greatly troubled" and it says that she kept turning over in her mind what the angel might be telling her.

I was thinking about how often this happens in my own mind..and how much I can relate to those statements. There are so many times when I've gotten unnecessarily afraid or stuck with fear, or had doubts...
At first I thought it was ironic that Zachariah and Mary become afraid because it's an angel that confronts them...it seems like it would be a comfort, but after thinking about it more, I understand why they might be struck with fear upon seeing an angel.

After Mary becomes afraid, her attitude does a 180 and she begins to rejoice God. I liked this a lot too. :)

46And Mary said, My soul magnifies and extols the Lord,

47And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48For He has looked upon the low station and humiliation of His handmaiden. For behold, from now on all generations [of all ages] will call me blessed and declare me happy and [aa]to be envied!

49For He Who is almighty has done great things for me--and holy is His name [to be venerated in His purity, majesty and glory]!



Happy Monday!