Christmas Countdown and Quick Thought – Thursday, December 17, 2020

8 Days Until Christmas!

Song: “Ave Maria,” by Luciano Pavarotti
Christmas Album: “Peace on Earth,” by Casting Crowns
Christmas DVD: “Elf”
Netflix Movie: “Operation Christmas Drop”
Amazon Prime Movie: “The Christmas Contract”
Disney+ Movie: “12 Dates of Christmas”
Hulu Movie: “Christmas Perfection”
Hallmark Movie: “Angel of Christmas”
On TV:
• “Saving Santa,” 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., FXM
• “Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” 3:45 p.m., Freeform
• “Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen,” 4 p.m., Hallmark
• “A Christmas Wish,” 4 p.m., Lifetime
• “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” 4:30 p.m., AMC
• “Frosty’s Winter Wonderland,” 5 p.m., AMC
• “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year,” 5:30 p.m., AMC
• “Home Alone,” 5:50 p.m., Freeform
• “The Christmas House,” 6 p.m., Hallmark
• “Christmas On the Vine,” 6 p.m., Lifetime
• “The Year Without a Santa Claus,” 6:45 p.m., AMC
• “The Star,” 6:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., FXM
• “Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors,” 8 p.m., NBC
• Thursday Night Football: Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders, 8 p.m., FOX
• “The Polar Express,” 8 p.m., AMC
• “FX’s A Christmas Carol,” 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., FX
• “Christmas Comes Twice,” 8 p.m., Hallmark
• “The Christmas Setup,” 8 p.m., Lifetime
• “Going My Way,” 8 p.m., TCM
• “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” 8:20 p.m., Freeform
• “Scrooged,” 10 p.m., AMC
• “Christmas By Starlight,” 10 p.m., Hallmark
• “A Sugar and Spice Holiday,” 10:03 p.m., Lifetime
Recipe: White Chocolate Holiday Bark

Quick Thought for Christmas

Read

Luke 1:26-38

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.“
Luke 1:30

Reflect

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”

Those are some amazing words. Think about it. Of all of the women in the entire history of the world, Mary found favor with God.

How did that happen?

At this point in her life, Mary was probably no older than 14 years old, and maybe only 12 or 13. So in a very short time, Mary had lived a life that caught the Lord’s attention. There’s no way we can know what specifically she did to get God’s notice, but there are some clues in the Gospels that show us why she was so special.

First, notice that when the angel appears, Mary doesn’t flinch. Sure, she might have seemed afraid at first (which is why the angel comforted her with, “Do not be afraid.”) But when he delivered astounding news that she would have a baby in spite of her virginal condition, she wasn’t surprised. Instead, she accepted the news readily.

What many people miss is that Mary also knew the scriptures. The Torah was only read by men, but Mary apparently listened well when she heard the scriptures, and in Luke 1:46-55, you hear her largely quoting Psalm 103 and Psalm 107.

A very mature, smart and wise teenage Mary found favor with God, and He chose her to bear His only Son, who would redeem the whole world. That should be very telling to each of us.

God wants us to live lives that let Him find favor with us. He wants us to read and know His Word. He wants us to have faith in his works, and to open our hearts to the plans He has for us. And He wants us to truly love Him and have an active relationship with Him. We might not be chosen for such great things as Mary was, but God does have great things in store for each of us. And if we live in His footsteps, He can also find favor in us and unfold His plans for us each day.