Advent Devotion - Thy Will, Lord - Breath of Heaven (Day 3)

Luke 20:9-18

He went on to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

"Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.'

"But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. 'This is the heir,' they said. 'Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

"What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "May this never be!"

Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
" 'The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

Oh, dear Abba Father, as I read this Scripture my heart breaks. I look through your Holy Word and see how You worked in all time. You called your people again and again. You sent prophets to man. But, always your people ended up rejecting you. Then you sent Your Son, the Holy One of Heaven, here to Earth! Word become flesh that walked among us. Again you were rejected... but this time it was not simply man who paid the price... but Jesus, the Messiah, was crushed. For my inequities. My savior was mocked as the prophets before. The very Son of God nailed to a tree. And you, my Father, knew this was what He would face. And my Messiah, He knew this was what was to come. Even in the garden, He prayed in the deepest grief, His flesh desiring to be spared, but even so accepting Your Holy Will.

I would love to say that that was then. It was those people. Not me. But Lord, You know it HAS been me. So many times. It was me all those years You called me, until I made the decision to accept you as my Lord. It is still me on those days that I choose the world over You. It is me when I sin against You.

Father, prepare my heart. Soften it. Help me to turn from all unrighteousness and to turn to You. As I look to the beautiful Christ child in the manger, may I never forget the sacrifice that the Lord has made for me. This day, help me to accept as Christ did, Your Will for my life. Although I am unworthy, You can use me. May my day be used for Your glory! Amen.

As I was preparing this devotion, the song Breath of Heaven came to mind. The song tells of Mary... as she prepared for the coming Lord... feeling unworthy.... relying on God as she lived her life according to God's perfect plan. This video is gorgeous with scenes from the movie The Nativity.