Advent Day 18 - A Sacred Joy

Both times I was pregnant, I was quite pregnant at Christmastime.  Our firstborn was delivered two weeks late, at the end of March.  The younger son made his appearance at the end of February.  So, although I was not as "great with child" as was Mary, I was still pretty much unable to put on my pantyhose for work, lol.  (Yes, we wore hosiery to work in those days...)

It was a special experience, being pregnant at Christmastime.
I am sorry for men, who are unable to relate.  "Male and female created He them", after all.  Being the life-carriers is a sacred joy.

And, there was no motherhood experience in the history of mankind more astounding than that of Mary.  I still remember the euphoria and wonder I felt on discovering I was pregnant, both times.  It approaches the joy I felt when I made the decision to follow Christ.

God's Holy Spirit, God Himself(!) came to live in me.  I was forever "possessed" by The Divine. . Forever sealed as His.  God with me (Immanuel!) and God IN me.
And, becoming pregnant?  A new life, a new person was growing in me!  Both times...I felt distinctly unworthy.  Still do, actually.

One of the major objections religions like Islam (and others who do not consider Jesus to be God) cite is that God could not be a human being.  But, I was reading in Hebrews yesterday morning about this very point.  The author of Hebrews knew it would be an issue and this is what he wrote:

Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death ​— ​that is, the devil — 15 and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. 17 Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 2:14-17 (CSB)

We who believe on Jesus are "the children", and this passage reminds us of the reason Jesus came to Earth, as well as why the method by which He came was SO vitally important.  If Jesus, the Son of God, the second member of the triune Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) had not been born into a human body and lived a fully-God, fully-human life, He could not have executed the plan of God for our redemption.  It was the only way.  He had to become "like his brothers and sisters in every way."
Max Lucado put it like this:  "Let him be as human as he intended to be.  For only if we let him in can he pull us out."1

Perfection, dwelling in His mother's womb, dwelling "among us".
And, what about the crazy (well, at least other-worldly and very odd) circumstances of His birth?

I remember when my first son was born.  The ride home from the hospital is particularly vivid.
If my mother had not been waiting at my home for us to arrive, I think I would have jumped out of our moving car.  I was that terrified and intimidated.  (Those who know me think I'm exaggerating here.  I assure you that I am not.) 

Now. 
What if I had been in Mary's shoes (er....sandals)?   A sacred joy?!
***Her first pregnancy (like mine was).
***The enormity of giving birth to God's Son (no pressure though, right?)
***A sudden, undesired trip, far from every female she knows.
***Donkeys as doulas, manger for crib, brilliant stars for lighting ...
The incongruity of it all is simply astounding!
Who, but God, would have or could have orchestrated a more "un-human" scene?
Certainly not how a human would have done it!

The mystery of eternal salvation is similarly great, even greater than the miracle of the Incarnation.  As the Holy Spirit came to create life in Mary's womb, He is equally desirous to place Himself into the heart of every woman and man.  This acquiescence, this belief, this submission and belief on the part of each person who accepts Christ as Savior is a reflection of the Virgin Birth.  But, salvation is an even greater miracle, even more a sacred joy!

Oh Lord!  May we exclaim as did Mary "Let it be to me according to your word!" (Luke 1:38).  May we become so very FULL of you this season that we can proclaim and rejoice in the words of the apostle Paul:  "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!" (Galatians 2:20)

Source:

Lucado, M. (2012). In the manger: 25 inspirational selections for advent. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, p. 18.

Mary, Mary (Advent Day 8)

I'll tell you a curious thing:  Baptists don't hear many sermons on Mary, the mother of Jesus.  As a piece of anecdotal evidence (one woman's experience), I've heard more sermons about Mary of Bethany than about Mary, Jesus' mother.  I've been pondering the reason for this and what I've deduced is that we are afraid to talk much about Jesus' earthly mother because some religions have venerated her far past what the Bible proclaims.

Some have, in fact, declared that she was sinless and that she remained a virgin after Jesus' birth.1  I can find nothing in the Bible to substantiate much of what we might call Marian tradition or Marian lore.  But, that doesn't mean that we should ignore her in our Advent meditations.  What do we find in Scripture (and only the Holy Scriptures) about Mary, the mother of Jesus?

Some of the best information comes to us from the gospel of Luke.  In Luke 1:30 we read that Mary was "highly favored" by God.  Who can know the mind of God?  But, obviously, she was a very special young woman.  God had literally chosen her among all women to give birth to Jesus.  Beyond that, we have no idea what caused God the Father to choose Mary for this role.  Of course, her free will was not negated.  In Luke 1:38 we read how she agreed to take on this role.

First, though, she asks an intelligent question.  "How can this happen, since I am a virgin?" (1:34) Most of us, myself included, would likely have been so stupefied by an angel appearing to us every sensible thought would have left our heads.  Not Mary.

After receiving a satisfactory, though not fully understood, answer to that question, Mary subjects herself to the will of her God.  "Be it done unto me according to your word." (1:38)

The angel, Gabriel, tells Mary that her much older and formerly barren cousin, Elizabeth, is now six months pregnant.  Mary immediately determines to go see Elizabeth, since the two of them have a miraculous pregnancy in common. Elizabeth must have seemed like a harbor in a storm, to Mary, who could have thought, "Finally!  Someone who will understand!"  It is possible that Mary came from a family of some means, since she was able to a long trip from Nazareth to the hill country of Judah on her own.   It is likely Mary was accompanied by servants to make this trip.  Under no circumstances would she have been allowed to make the trip totally on her own.  Still, not a "shrinking violet", was Mary!

After hearing Elizabeth's greeting, Mary speaks what Luke records as the Magnificat, which has been the subject matter of many a gorgeous piece of choral music over the centuries.  The Magnificat contains several references to Old Testament scripture, which lets us know that Mary was an educated young woman.  It is also the response of a mature follower of Jehovah.

One other notable characteristic about Mary:  she thought deeply.  We know this from the Scripture that tells us she "pondered" these events in her heart.  She was a person who didn't act impulsively, but rather, thought things through.  More important than that - - - she was not omniscient.  She didn't know or understand everything at once.  Her faith was grown and cultivated over the course of her life, much as it can be with each of us who submit to the will of our Savior.

For example, there is nothing to indicate that Elizabeth had had prior warning of Mary's visit.  Their greetings to each other bear all the hallmarks of a surprise, on Elizabeth's part.  No doubt, Mary was encouraged and comforted by Elizabeth's words of greeting.  God used the prophetic utterance the Holy Spirit gave to Elizabeth as a confirmation for Mary.

Well, I had not intended this Advent series to turn into a Marian study, but just wanted to reflect on the mother of our Savior today.  Honestly, I've become somewhat disenchanted with my Tozer study aid.  It's not Tozer's fault....but, the editors who picked and chose from his writings have left me restless.

Tomorrow I think we'll look at Anna, the only woman in the New Testament to be called a prophetess.  :)

Source:

1   https://www.catholiccompany.com/content/What-the-Catholic-Church-Teaches-About-Mary.cfm