What Jesus Did! 'Taking Away Disgrace' — Luke 1:24-25

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Soon [after the angel told Zechariah that he and his wife would have a child,] Elizabeth became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. "How kind the Lord is!" she exclaimed. "He has taken away my disgrace of having no children."
— Luke 1:24-25 NLT

Key Thought

God's passion is to take away our disgrace - the disgrace of our failure, our misfortune, and our sin, and yes, even the disgrace of circumstances. Elizabeth's being childless was a circumstance beyond her control but still considered a disgrace by many people in her time and her culture. While being childless is no longer considered to be a disgrace in some cultures, you may have some circumstance that is considered to be a disgrace by others or even by yourself. As the old hymn goes, "Bring Christ your broken life ... He will create anew, make whole again." [1] What disgrace, disappointment, or disaster do you still have that is holding back your life? Why not openly confess it and the feelings that it fosters within you, and ask God to take it away?

[1] Romans 6:3-4 ESV.

Today's Prayer

Holy God, I thank you for the gift of memory and the ability to remember wonderful, joyous, and pleasant times in my life. However, dear Father, there are some memories in my life that I let Satan use to hold me back and keep me down. Please take away the disgrace of my past and heal those memories so that I will be strengthened by the experiences of the past and not be debilitated by them. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Psalm 103:1-5
  • Psalm 51:7-13
  • Jeremiah 14:21

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 1:24-25 NLT — "How kind the Lord is!" —— "He has taken away my disgrace of having no children."

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About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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