The Power of Believing
“Believe!” Plaques and wreaths and T-shirts and charms and blocks and stencils and ornaments remind us to believe, especially at Christmas. Do you wonder like I do, “Believe . . . in . . . what?”
In Christmas? In Jesus? In Santa? Believe in what? Many of these popular items leave me wondering.
The first chapter of Luke begins with the angel Gabriel visiting Zacharias the priest in the temple. Gabriel told Zacharias:
Do not be afraid, Zacharias,
for your petition has been heard,
and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will give him the name John.
Luke 1:13
Gabriel went on to tell Zacharias what God would accomplish through his and Elizabeth’s son John, but Zacharias didn’t believe the promise. Gabriel told him:
And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak
until the day when these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled in their proper time.
Luke 1:20
Six months later God sent Gabriel to Mary, who was one of Elizabeth’s relatives. Gabriel told Mary:
Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name Him Jesus.
Luke 1:30-31
Mary’s reaction was quite different from that of Zacharias. She went to visit Elizabeth and Zacharias at their home in the hill country of Judah. When Mary entered their house, Elizabeth and Zacharias’ baby leaped in Elizabeth’s womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth told Mary:
. . . blessed is she who believed
that there would be a fulfillment
of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.
Luke 1:45
God shouts to us, “Believe! In what is solid and eternal.” That belief overcomes the world.
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ
is born of God,
and whoever loves the Father
loves the child born of Him.
By this we know that we love the children of God,
when we love God and observe His commandments.Â
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments;
and His commandments are not burdensome.
For whatever is born of God
overcomes the world;
and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Who is the one who overcomes the world,
but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:1-5