I know your twinkling lights, nativity sets, blow up snowmen, along with your Christmas trees and wreaths are now stowed away or sent to be recycled. Before you turn your heart from Jesus' coming, please let me share with you one simple passage from the story of grace that captures our hearts:

"In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy [while carrying John the Baptizer in her womb], God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee..." (Luke 1:26).

Simple words can sometimes contain life-changing messages that are totally unexpected. This dumpy little disrespected hick town called Nazareth was the last place in the world the hosts of heaven and the people of Israel would expect Gabriel to have as his earthly destination. Why would one of God's most essential angels go to Nazareth? What possibly could have been there that would have demanded Gabriel's attention?

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" (John 1:46). That's what people thought of Nazareth. Nothing good could come from Nazareth! This phrase of derision had become a slogan well known at the time of Jesus' birth.

Could anything good come from Nazareth?

YES!

Jesus came from Nazareth. He changed everything for people everywhere for all time. The Son of the Most High, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ of God, came from that dumpy little disrespected hick town.

But why is that important for you?

When you are wondering if anything good can come from you, your life, remember Luke 1:26. Jesus came from Nazareth!

When you've made a mess things and are not sure anything good can come from it or you, remember Luke 1:26. Jesus came from Nazareth!

If you feel unnoticed, unimportant, insignificant, or overlooked, remember Luke 1:26. If Jesus could come from Nazareth and change the world, then imagine what can happen in you, with you, and because of Jesus alive in you!

Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!
(Colossians 1:27 TPT).

Imagine what can happen in you, with you, all because of Jesus alive in you!
If you belong to Christ, then Jesus can come to life in you, too. You can be Jesus' new Nazareth and a person through whom the world is forever changed.

Special thanks for the use of images related to Jesus' ministry from The Lumo Project and Free Bible Images for use on this week's post.