God’s Plan Set In Motion

God’s Plan Set in Motion

Q: What angel announced both John’s and Jesus’ births?

• a. Michael
• b. Gideon
• c. Gabriel

When God sent an angel to tell Zechariah he’d have a son (see yesterday’s devotion), the Lord was setting his plan of salvation in motion. Zechariah and Elizabeth’s son, John, was born for a specific purpose—to announce the coming of the Messiah.

The next step was for the Savior to be born. God sent the same angel, Gabriel, to tell a young, unmarried woman by the name of Mary that she’d have a baby and that she should name him Jesus because he would be the Savior of the world.

Mary was an unlikely candidate to be Jesus’ mother. She was young, poor, and probably uneducated. By the world’s standards, she didn’t have much to offer. God could have found someone from a rich family, where Jesus would have received the best food, clothing, education, and worldly possessions. But this wasn’t God’s plan. Jesus was born to a humble and obedient young woman who had a strong faith in God. He was born in a lowly stable surrounded by animals.

God chose the people who would be part of the salvation story—Zechariah and Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, John and Jesus—and he gave them a mission and purpose. When things got difficult, they remembered it was God who called them to the task. When people ridiculed them, they knew it was okay because they were living out God’s purpose for their lives.

For You

God has a special purpose for your life too. He won’t show you the whole plan at once, but he will lead you in it day by day. Each day ask God to direct you, and he will show you the things he wants you to do.

Answer: c

Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.”   Luke 1:28-31

(The Whole Story: Luke 1:26-38)