Luke 1:26-56; Ezekiel 34; Isaiah 58

“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33 NKJV) 

It’s interesting how the Old Testament reading relates to the New Testament reading today. In Ezekiel 34:11 God says, “ “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.” We see God’s plan in the words of Gabriel to Mary. God would send His Son, born of a virgin, who would be called Jesus, and He would reign forever. That was His plan for the redemption of mankind. That was His plan to restore our relationship with Him. He Himself would seek us out, and He did that when He sent His Son to earth to begin His kingdom reign that will last forever.

It’s easy to forget that God has a plan, sometimes. We get so caught up in the day to day issues of our lives that we have a hard time imagining, or understanding God’s plan. But God’s plan has always been for us to be in fellowship with Him. Sin marred that plan from a human perspective, but God showed us how to return to Him. One of the sayings of Christmas is that wise men still seek Him (from Matthew’s account) but the real truth is that God has been seeking us. He doesn’t seek just wise men, He came to seek all people. God’s kingdom is forever, and I’m grateful that He allows me into His kingdom, just as He allows all who request entrance into His kingdom.

Lord, thank You for searching for Your sheep. Thank You for Jesus coming to earth as a baby, dying on the cross, but having an eternal kingdom. Thank You for allowing me to be a citizen in Your kingdom.