Hi there. Earlier in the year we were in outback New South Wales in the town of Bourke staying at the lovely Mitchell Caravan Park. We visited the North Bourke Bridge which is Australia's oldest movable span bridge built in 1883.
Another bridge that I’ve driven across is the Golden Gate Bridge – just a bit different to this one. It is an amazing structure. And yet during the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Despite the enormous cost, the engineers opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net but were saved.
God has provided for each of us a safety net. For when we sin, we fall. But God has provided us with a safety net. It is called grace.
Christmas is about God providing for us a safety net. When God sent Jesus into the world a new season dawned. It was a season of grace.
Mary had virtually no social status. Yet the angel Gabriel said to her in Luke 1:28 “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you”. This was no traditional greeting. This was especially for Mary. She was highly “favoured”. The Greek word used for favoured is a form of “grace”. To make sure she understood how special she was the angel said again in verse 30: “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God”. There’s that word again – favour. This time the Greek word is slightly different “charis” - it means gift and grace.
God’s favour – His grace – was upon Mary. She gave birth to the Son of the Most High. Christmas is about grace. And grace is shown to all who have faith in Jesus. We are told in Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith”. When we fall because of sin, we are saved by God’s safety net – grace. At Christmas God sent forth, in His grace, His son.
Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your grace. Thank you for sending us your Son Jesus that first Christmas. Thank you for saving me in your safety net called grace. O God, preserve us who travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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