Daily Readings - Mon Dec 24 2018
2 Samuel
1And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;2That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.3And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.4And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,5Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?8Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:9And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.10Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,11And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.12And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Luke
67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,75In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound expressions of God’s promise and fulfillment. The first reading from 2 Samuel recounts Nathan’s prophetic message to King David, assuring him that God will establish his house and dynasty forever. David, humbled by God’s favor, had desired to build a temple for the Lord, but instead, the Lord promises to build a lasting kingdom through David’s descendants. This exchange highlights God’s initiative in shaping history and His plan to create a people and a place where His presence will dwell. The reading reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His plans often surpass our human ambitions.
The Gospel reading from Luke presents Zechariah’s beautiful prophecy, known as the Benedictus. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah praises God for the fulfillment of His promises, particularly through the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He connects the dots between the ancient promises to Abraham and David and the salvation that is now unfolding. Zechariah’s words emphasize that God’s mercy and faithfulness are at the heart of His plan to redeem His people. Just as the Lord raised up a horn of salvation in the house of David, He continues to bring light and peace to those who sit in darkness.
These readings invite us to reflect on the ways God works in our lives and in the world. Just as David trusted in God’s plan, even when it seemed to delay his own desires, we too are called to trust in God’s timing and providence. Zechariah’s prophecy reminds us that we are part of a larger story—one of salvation and redemption. In our daily lives, we can apply this by seeking to align our wills with God’s, trusting that He is always working for our good and the good of all. Let us, like David and Zechariah, cultivate humility, gratitude, and faith, knowing that God’s promises are always fulfilled in His own perfect way.