**Daily Devotional** **December 20** *54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. 56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. - Luke 1:54-56 (KJV)* The Christmas Story continues. God’s mercy is a wonderful thing that He shows to His people so many times, and in so many ways. Mary is continuing to give prophecy about the future, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and her giving birth to the Messiah was certainly a fulfillment of this mercy of His, as the Jews had been in rebellion toward God. God told Abraham that He would bless Abraham’s seed forever, and that seed is referring to Jesus (Galatians 3:16). The Jews thought that it meant them all, as the descendants of Abraham, but God said seed, singular, and not seeds, plural. God’s plan for bringing Jesus into being, and His plan of salvation for us humans, was not understood by the Jews, and what a plan it was – praise God. Since Elisabeth was six months in her pregnancy (Luke 1:36), when Mary came to visit, it is likely that Mary was there at the birth of John the Baptist, as she stayed three months with Elisabeth. She may have been there, and heard, when Zacharias regained his voice, and gave a prophecy about the coming Messiah (Luke 1:67-79), which would have been further confirmation to Mary about her Son Jesus. Mary then returned to her home, and to Joseph, her husband. What a wonderful story that Luke has given us, of the miraculous beginning of the life of our Savior. Praise God for all the details in Luke’s scriptures. Devotional by Pastor Joe W. Green, www.infinite-faith.com