I had a WHOLE post written up about the importance of developing a rhythm of rest within out lives but delayed posting it because once again I found myself ill. Yet, I find God had purpose even in the waiting - as He usually does.
See, on Sunday my husband and I attended our little Oklahoma church and the message was on the Christmas story - something I have heard hundreds of times over the years - particularly focusing on Mary and Joseph. And, the pastor did so in a way I had not heard before, leaving me stuck on with the Christmas story in mind.
Then today, as I tidied our home in preparation for the holidays, Christian Christmas tunes filling the background with images of our Savior in a manger and His mother who held the heavenly gift to humanity in her hands unaware of what lie ahead in their journey together.
And two things struck me, things I want to briefly share with all of you as we head into the week before Christmas, allowing us to pause and remember the TRUE reason for the CHRISTmas season.
Mary was a young, human woman and is a wonderful example of walking in faith.
Jesus was then and remains to this day a symbol of hope.
MARY DID YOU KNOW?
Let's first read the Scripture story of that very first Christmas season:
Luke 1:26-38 "In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”'
Now, I highlighted the few areas on which I will focus to make it easy. The first thing I want us to bring to mind and ask ourselves is this: Who is Mary?
The answer, a nobody.
Mary was not this well-known pinacle of faith before the Lord blessed her with a Son, she was a young girl from a nowhere town, simply living the life she knew. But, it says Mary was highly favored? Yes, this is true and as our pastor explained to us, the favor spoken of was in reference to the grace and kindness of God displayed in His communication and relationship with man. Therefore, God having favor on Mary had nothing to do with her pedigree, resume, or how holy she was, but everything to do with the grace and kindness of our God, that He would reach into the life of man and bring forth, through our lowly frames, the One who would go on to become a perfect sacrifice and Savior of the world.
A blessing and gift that was so undeserved, but stood true despite all of the sin and mess displayed throughout time before holy God because of His great love for us.
Suddenly, with this truth in mind, Mary becomes so relateable. Based on cultural context, many believe that Mary was a girl around 15 - 16 years of age. Now, obviously the Bible does not give us much insight into Mary's life before Gabriel appears to her, but I was a 15 year old girl once. And at 15 I was filled with plans and expectations for how my life would turn out - I would finish high school and attend college, getting a degree in medicine, before marrying a wonderful Christian man. Together we would pursue our careers and eventually have a family that we would raise to love and know God. While I do not know Mary personally, I assume she likely had her own expectations and plans for her life that was just beginning - she would marry Joseph, and together they would start their own family. I doubt, conceiving a baby by the Holy Spirit and giving birth to Jesus Himself was ever in her planner.
Yet, Gabriel steps onto the scene with a message from the Lord and disrupts EVERYTHING.
"Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.' 'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.'"
I love how Mary responds with a question at the possibility of this news based on the logical fact that she is indeed a virgin, being unwed at the time of the angels appearance. Once again Mary's humanity is on display and, to me, we see that God is not offended by our questions or momentary disbelief when He reveals His God sized plans for our lives. The angel reassures her with truth about the might and power of God, and the truth of His word.
And Mary's response, it is one I pray you and I can learn to develop and mimic in the new year and all the years that follow - it is one of SUBMISSION.
"'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.' Then the angel left her."
With these few words Mary laid every plan and expectation for her future down at the feet of her God, picking up His will for her life in its place.
And Mary did not know what this would mean for her life, beyond that this sweet baby of hers would be the Messiah.
So often I get caught up in the glory of the story, that a young girl was privelaged with carrying the Son of our God, that I miss the immense sacrifice. It was a wonderful gift, but this plan of God's did not come without trials and hardship that she must endure as she lived a life of submission and surrender.
The risk of becoming pregnant unwed in her culture. She was fully aware that her reputation may be tainted, and she may be shamed publicaly for this gift from God, as not one outside of that room would likely believe the story. Even her betrothed was ready to leave, planning to divorce her quietly, until an angel appeared to Him in a dream and confirmed Mary's story of a miraculous conception.
In raising the Son of God, all her sins and flaws would be amplified in His perfection. Can you imagine raising a perfect child? Yes, that would probably feel like a gift most days, but Mary was still human raising her first baby, who was Jesus. Though her Son never made mistakes, she did - I know this because all humans sin and fall short of the glory of God. And the humility that must lead to, messing up daily while watching your Son act in perfect obedience to the One who gave Him into your care. And knowing God Himself, in human form, has a front row seat as you try to navigate marriage and parenting as a sinful man.
The fear in watching your Son grow and begin His ministry, loved by some and hated by many. Jesus, though God, was still Mary's child. And hearing the stories of all He was doing and the plans of those who stood against Him likely kept her mind always busy with thoughts of Him.
Think of the pride that welled in her heart when she heard of the miraculous signs and wonders performed by the hands of the One she birthed into this world. The wonder she must feel at the blessing of God that came to life in the form of a baby, who grew into the most amazing man.
I wonder if she felt a mix of frustration, embarassment, and curiosity when Jesus corrected her, or other elders around her using the Word of God, and was always right.
And the pain from witnessing your Son hanging on a cross, though innocent, enduring the most painful form of death at the hands of His enemies. Mary did not know the fullness of God's plan. She did not realize Jesus must die so that He might raise again, defeating sin and death. All she saw in that moment was her beloved Son dying.
Then, in His acension, the sadness and joy of your Son temporarily leaving earth to return home to His heavenly Father. His purpose on this world fulfilled. His time as man and earthly son ended.
Yet through all of this, she was steadfast in her answer to God: I am Your servant, may your word to me be fulfilled. The faith of this young woman, a human like you and I, is both convicting and awe inspiring to me.
How often do I refuse to lay down my plans and expectations for God? How often do I fight? How often do I want to quit when it looks unbelievable or gets difficult?
I, we, need to adopt the mindset of Mary as we walk on this earth. We must act in faith, not without plans, but knowing that when God appears and calls we must be willing and ready to lay our plans and expectations at His feet, picking up His will and plan for our lives in its place. That we may help fulfill God's plan on earth willingly and faithfully as His servants.
In this we can have peace because God is there with us in those moments, and He will sustain us and provide us with the strength to remain until the end.
And though it is hard, and the things God often calls us to will have trials, stir up emotions, and be incredibly trying - just as Mary's journey likely was - from this story we see it is both possible and so incredibly worth it. Because through all of that Mary was able to witness first hand the work of God in bringing the redemption of humanity to fruition. She was the earthly mother of Jesus, and held God in her arms, if only for a little while.
And I bet she would do it all again, even knowing how the rest of the story would go, because that sleeping child she was holding was the Great I Am.
BECAUSE OF HER FAITH
The story continues:
Luke 2: 1-7 "In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galillee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."
And with the birth of this baby a small glimmer of hope slipped into the world unnoticed.
When we picture that little baby asleep in the manger, cheeks rosy from crying and eyes peacefully closed against the chaos of the outside world, I hope we recognize the miracle and gift of it all.
That we have a God who is not set apart from His creation, but a God who is willing to step into the mess that we made of creation so that He might bring restoration. And while we endure hardships on this earth, persecution in His name, and the consequences of our sin, we do not do it alone or without hope. Because that little baby, sent by God to young Mary, grew up into the perfect man, became the perfect sacrifice, and saved all of our souls.
So that if we believe in Him, we have a heavenly home. And that home in eternity, where we will be in the presence of mighty God, is our hope. The hope that gets us through year after year.
That is what Christmas is all about.
The faith of a young girl, who accepted the gift of God and acted in submission to His will, leading to the birth of a baby, who grew to be our Savior, defeating sin, restoring relationship with God, and providing man with a hope that cuts through the darkness.
Oh, Mary, if you only knew...