“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.”
Luke 1:68 NIV
God Has Visited
Prior to Confederation in 1867, Canada’s first Prime Minister, John A. Macdonald, had never visited British Columbia. It wasn’t until 1886, after the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, where he was welcomed by the city of Victoria. His visit marked a significant moment in his political career, as he had previously promised to complete the railway to lure British Columbia into Confederation.
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It is always a blessing when someone we love comes to visit. Our youngest son and his family moved to Victoria two years ago. We have been to visit them a few times since then, but with a family of four, including two little children, getting back to Ontario is difficult for them – difficult and expensive. So, we were excited when they said they were talking about coming back this way soon. We all love to have family and friends visit. There is one visit that is unique in human history, which is why we celebrate at this time of the year. In Luke 1:68, we read, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.” These are the words of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. He knew exactly what was happening here – in the person of Jesus, God was coming to His people to redeem them. The long-awaited Messiah, the Saviour of the world, was coming, and the world would never be the same. No wonder we celebrate.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley