URC Daily Devotions Monday, 22 December 2025

We turn to the various narratives of the Christmas and Epiphany season over the next two weeks.

St Luke 1: 26 – 38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,  to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’  But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’  Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.  And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.’  Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

Reflection

Have you ever felt God call you to do something and you have felt that you just don’t feel as though you are good enough or equipped enough for the task? You may have tried bargaining with God, suggesting others are better equipped to do the task or the role than you are.

Today our reading is the powerful reading of when the Angel Gabriel visits Mary. Mary was poor and young, two attributes that in the society of her day could disqualify her from being used by God for His plans. And yet, we read here of this young woman being chosen by God to carry and give birth to Jesus, the Saviour of the world.
I often think that the familiarity of some Biblical narratives means that we can overlook the power or the truth of the encounter. God didn’t, metaphorically speaking, dial the wrong number when He sent Gabriel to speak to Mary. God chose exactly who God wanted. God knew Mary for He had created her and made her in His image. Just as God has done for you and for me.

You may be reading this and feel the call of God to do something or serve in a particular way within your church, your community or the Synod you are part of. You may be listing all the excuses you want to use to respond to God. I hope we will all take from these familiar words for this Christmas time, something of the truth that when God calls God also equips. When God calls, He hasn’t dialled an incorrect number; He has called because He wants us to serve Him in the way He has called. May we learn from the example of Mary and say: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Prayer

Loving God, who calls and who equips. 
May we follow the example of Mary 
and respond knowing 
that you will always be with us, 
May we recognise the gift 
that Jesus is to us and to the world. 
We offer our prayer through Jesus 
and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.