Where do you live?

Do you live in a big city, surrounded by lights and people? Do you live out in the country, miles away from your closest neighbour? Do you live in large, modern, bright home? Or do you live in a simple dwelling with just enough room?

What about your neighbourhood? Is there anything particularly special about it?

The community I live in used to be quite the happening place. Industry, mining, transport, all fuelled this bustling coastal town. But things have changed quite a bit over the last few decades. Now we’re known as a poor town. A town with problem youth. A town with drugs. A town with extremely high unemployment. A town with little hope. Nowhere’s-ville.

It makes me wonder what Nazareth may have been like.

A little town. Nowhere particularly important. Nowhere special. Not much is happening.

Then we zoom in on the little town. We zoom in to focus on a neighbourhood. We zoom in on a couple families. We zoom in on a couple of young lovers planning their wedding.

Living ordinary lives. Just regular people. Just like you and me.

And then God found them. Forever changing their plans, their futures, their lives.

But also the future of the world.

Could it be so? Could God really alter the lives of two young people?

He did.

And through them he changed millions of lives and continues to change lives.

The lives of ordinary people.

People like me and people like you.

In communities like mine and in communities like yours.

Lord Jesus, through two young, ordinary people, you came and changed lives. Help us to see the changes you have made around, in and through us. Help us to see the changes that are still to come. Changes in our world, our country, our community, our families and ourselves. Be near to us as we approach the celebration of your birth and in our waiting for your return. Amen.

If you missed an entry in our Advent devotions series, please click here to see all previously posted devotions.