Luke 2 :5-13
5.(married) wife, who was about to become a mother.
6.And while they were there, the time came for her delivery,
7.And she gave birth to her Son, her Firstborn; and she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room or place for them in the inn.
8.And in that vicinity there were shepherds living [out under the open sky] in the field, watching [in shifts] over their flock by night.
9.And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone all about them, and they were terribly frightened.
10.But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.
11.For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!(B)
12.And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find [[c]after searching] a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. [I Sam. 2:34; II Kings 19:29; Isa. 7:14.]
13.Then suddenly there appeared with the angel an army of the troops of heaven ([d]a heavenly knighthood), praising God and saying,
We cannot tell how much of his background John was aware of as he grew up He would have known that his parents had to wait for along time before he came. They may not have asked for a son like Hannah (1sam 1:11) but God gave them this son in spite of their doubts about what the angel said.
John knew he was God's answer to their prayers and doubts, an example of the fact that God knows our needs and responds to our needs before we pray. John, saw himself as a gift to his family, he lived in obedience to God and as a challenge to his generation. (Read Matt 3:4) His austere way of life has since set the pattern for those who desire to open their lives to the direct influence of God.
Recently, I heard a man say at the service of songs at his uncle's burial. “All of us must know and cherish two dates in our lives. The day we decided to be Christians truly and the day we knew and committed ourselves to what God has created us to be and do in His vineyard”. Our Lord confirmed this When he said to his disciples as they returned from where they went to get food for him “My meat is to do the will of God and to finish it.” John 4:34. Are you living in a way that manifests you as a child of God?
Prayer : Grant lord , that the way we live may make those around us know you as the living God , who loves us and can give us what we sometimes doubt would ever be ours.