12/19 Conception

Silence and Stillness before God (2 minutes)

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us”
Matthew 1:22-23

Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed... “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
Lk. 1:39-41, 45
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Written by Sabrina Justison

God chose to come and be WITH US; He chose a virgin – one untouched.
And when Mary became pregnant, she carried Him at once to Elizabeth's house.
Elizabeth, in greeting her, was filled with the Holy Spirit.
And her words, in reply, affirmed Mary's extravagant trust in God.

God chooses to come and be WITH US every moment.
What areas of my life will I give Him
In which He can restore my virginity,
And make me ready to conceive His presence in new ways?

What jaded, cynical attitudes will I allow Him to replace with virginal HOPE?
What broken, toxic relationships will I ask Him to restore to virginal LOVE?
What bitter memories will I release to Him, that He may fill me with virginal PEACE?
What angry frustration will I turn over to Him, that He may establish virginal JOY?

And when I DO become pregnant with Him,
will I carry Him – at once – to others,
that they may be filled with the Holy Spirit in response to my greeting?

And what will His Spirit say through THEM to me,
that I may trust in God with utter abandon?
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Lord, only You can take me, marred by human shortcoming, and make me beautifully untouched, ready for Your LIFE to be conceived in me anew every day. Help me invite You into every corner of my life with extravagant trust.

Conclude with Stillness (2 minutes)