Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 9)

After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.
Matthew 2:13-15

Dear God, other than Simeon’s prophecy at the temple, I think this might be Mary’s first inkling that there could be scary parts of being Jesus’s mother. What was that conversation between her and Joseph like?

Joseph: Mary! Mary, wake up!

Mary: What? What is it?

Joseph: We have to go.

Mary: What do you mean, “We have to go”? Go where?

Joseph: Egypt.

Mary: Egypt?!? What are you talking about? Can’t we talking about this in the morning?

Joseph: No. The angel said we have to go immediately.

Mary: You saw an angel?

Joseph: Yes, the angel came to me like he did before and told me, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.”

Mary: What?!? Are you sure that’s what he said?

Joseph: As sure as I was when he visited me last time and told me to marry you.

Mary: Okay, let’s go!

What was that trip like? Was it frantic? Did they finance it with the gold from the wise men? I wonder what plans they had for their lives that they now had to scrap to follow the angel’s instructions. Had she made friends? Had he hit his stride with his work? Were they planning on raising Jesus in Bethlehem?

Your call to them to raise Jesus was a call to a difficult life. I like to joke that I think Noah got one of the worst deals in the Bible because of the work he had to go through and it would probably have been easier to just die in the flood, but Mary and Joseph had some real obstacles of their own. It feels like their lives were all about sacrificing to fulfill this call.

Then they probably heard about this after they arrived in Egypt:

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance.
Matthew 2:16

Survivors remorse? Guilt over their son’s existence having incited Herod into murdering those children? The anguish on behalf of all of those parents? Relief that they were safe in Egypt? I’m sure Mary had all of these things. I wonder how this whole event changed how protective she was of Jesus for the rest of his life.

Father, parenting can be scary. You can call us to sacrifice everything for the good of our children. Even when they are adults, their good can outweigh our own. And as we age into the end of our years, we need to consider our our own ending lives will impact them and die to ourselves for their benefit. So show me at any given moment what you are calling me to do for my children. Give me great discernment between what you need them to have from me and what you don’t need them to have from me. And everything you do for them or for me, make it something that is really for you and your glory, whatever it might cost me (and help me to be willing and ready to live up to those last words I just prayed).

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 8)

After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:9-11

Dear God, when I read this story this morning I asked myself, “What kind of a day has it been?” Aaron Sorkin has used that as an episode title for at least two of his TV series that he wrote. Every day is filled with so much, and we miss most of it. But this day for Mary must have been amazing. We aren’t sure how old Jesus is here, but it’s obviously been a little while because they are now in a house. That tells me that they had established their lives in Bethlehem at that point. They had either figured out a way to get their own house or they were living with someone else. Either way, they were there set up.

I’m sure the day started like any other day. She fed and changed Jesus. She kissed Joseph goodbye as he went to work. Who knows what she was going through that day. Maybe they were trying to figure out how to pay for some things. Then a knock at the door and there are some men there with gifts. They were there to worship her baby and brings gifts to him. What a surreal moment for her. Maybe even an encouragement. I’ve seen my wife go through the doldrums of those first few months of having a new baby. Even the first couple of years. It can be hard. But then you sent her these guys. And I’ve wondered for several years now if they weren’t able to use these gifts to finance their trip to Egypt. It makes sense–especially the gold. I think you were providing for them when they had no idea what was around the corner.

Father, I love the idea that Mary and Joseph were just a couple of regular parents facing the psychological, mental, physical and spiritual challenges that all of us face. You had them on a need-to-know basis, just like you have me and the rest of us. In their case, they needed to be reassured that they had not been mistaken when they heard Gabriel’s messages. These were all events that would carry them through from a mental, spiritual, and psychological standpoint. Please help me to recognize when you are doing the same for me. And thank you for all that you are doing.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 7)

There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers. At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God and to speak about him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
Luke 2:36-38

Dear God, I don’t know that I had ever done the math, but Anna had to have been 105 or so. I mean, these are Genesis years. These are A.D. years. I wonder what it was like for Mary to have Simeon come up to her and give his prophecy and then see this woman, who was obviously well-known to everyone since she had been at the temple for 84 years, start talking to others about her son. I wonder if Mary had ever seen Anna in past trips to Jerusalem as a girl. And here she was now, with a unique child of her own, and Anna seemed to already know all about it. Again, what an amazing set of affirmations you gave to her (and Joseph).

It doesn’t relate to me as a parent, but I am grateful for the affirmations you’ve been giving to me as a leader at my work lately. This is a tricky time. I’m trying to keep people (staff and patients) safe, serve as many as possible, and ensure there are resources available for us to keep doing the work. And so far you have given me some great affirmations in all areas. So far, our entire staff and seemingly all of our patients have been safe from the pandemic, we have found a way to meet a lot of needs and are even brainstorming ways to meet more, and donors are being generous in their support of our work. It’s quite remarkable. The scary thing is that I can see that if I weren’t spending time in prayer with you I would probably take all of this for granted. I would miss you in all of this.

Father, I take these affirmations in my work and apply them to my parenting as well. I do see good signs of your hand in my children’s lives. I see your hand in my marriage. I see your hand all over the place. No, things aren’t turning out like I would have thought (or thought I wanted), but I have faith that they are turning out just as you need them to. So I give that to you. I give you all the freedom you need to do whatever you feel is right in my life. For your glory, Lord, not mine.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 6)

When the eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus —the name given by the angel before he was conceived. And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord ) and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons ). There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said, Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised. For my eyes have seen your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples— a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel. His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary, “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed — and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:21-35

I want to focus on two things about this story.

• Mary and Joseph were amazed at what Simeon said about Jesus.

I would imagine that this kind of fit the narrative that had been developing over the last year. Perhaps this stuff about Gentiles was new. But glory to Israel–sure. This was going to be special. I can just imagine Mary and Joseph making eye contact and wordlessly saying, “Can you believe this?!?”

But then we get his prophecy to Mary, which brings me to my second point:

• “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel” [Okay, we can still work with this. I can see how this could be part of his destiny] “and to be a sign that will be opposed” [Excuse me. What?] “and a sword will pierce your own soul” [Hold it. What do you mean? This isn’t funny.] “that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” [How does that fit into all of this?]

This is obviously one of the prophecies that Mary remembered about Jesus too. And she decided to tell Luke about it as well. I just went back and looked to be sure, but this is the first time either Mary or Joseph have gotten an inkling that this son of theirs will live a less than glorious life. Even Zechariah didn’t get a warning from his angel visit about John the Baptist’s difficult path. It shows just how much Simeon was in tune with your Holy Spirit that his mind was open enough that he could see what others weren’t able to see yet. A real Messiah will not just rule superficially. He will rule in people’s hearts (“…that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”).

For Mary, this must have just been a whirlwind. We will look at her visit with Anna tomorrow. She’s getting affirmations all over the place, but she’s also being given pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. Not so that she will know the future, but so that when the future comes 30 years later she will have these words to hold on to. She will be able to have faith while her soul is pierced.

Father, thank you that you don’t tell us too much, but you just reveal yourself to us in the moment. Help me to embrace that concept. As we move through the COVID-19 pandemic day by day, I want to be patient and respond to each moment without having to feel the pressure of what I think I should be doing. I just want to know what you want me to do.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 5)

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

[The shepherds] hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
Luke 2:6-7,16-19

Dear God, it was a few years ago when I first started to ask “why” regarding the shepherds. Why did you disturb their sleep with this news? Why did you bring them into the loop? Why were they chosen to receive this instead of the local church leaders? And I’ve come up with some thoughts related why them instead of anyone else, but that’s not what I’m looking at today. I’m looking at Mary and how she intersects with their story (or how they intersect with Mary’s story). And the key is found in verse 19: “…but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.”

It was a night she will never forget. She had to give birth in a stable. She was young (let’s not forget she was likely a child by today’s standards), she was tired, scared, and going through it with a guy she presumably didn’t know as well as she later would. Was there any part of both of them that Satan was using to sow doubt about and distrust of the other? Just how scared and alone did Mary feel that night? Then these dirty guys show up. She likely would have smelled them coming if she hadn’t already been in a stable. But these unlikely heroes came in and told Mary, Joseph, and then anyone who would listen about their own angel visit. But they didn’t get just one angel.

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Luke 2:13-14

They go an army of angels! Mary didn’t get an army of angels on her visit with Gabriel. Joseph didn’t get one either. But these guys saw an army of angels. This was big time!! This was God entering the world. This was an affirmation to Mary that God knew exactly where they were. She didn’t have to worry about whether or not they had done something wrong because they were in a stable. You affirmed to her that you knew she was in a stable. You sent shepherds to her to let her and to Joseph. And as Jesus grew up she could go to this memory and apparently she did that often. She probably did it the day the wise men came. She probably thought about the shepherds a few days later when you sent her more affirmations at the temple in Jerusalem (more on that tomorrow). She probably through about them when Joseph woke her up in the middle of the night and told her to get Jesus ready for a trip to Egypt. She probably thought about the shepherd visit when she heard about Herod killing all the baby boys back in Bethlehem. She probably thought about the shepherds when they were frantically looking for Jesus when he was 12. She probably thought about them as she asked Jesus to make some wine. She probably thought about them when she stood outside a home, worried that Jesus had lost his mind. She probably thought about the shepherds when she saw Jesus crucified. And she probably thought about the shepherds after the resurrection. This memory stayed in her heart for the rest of her life and was always a comfort to her.

Father, help me to remember all of the affirmations you have given to me through the years. My wife and I were talking yesterday about some of the things we’ve prayed for over the years that seemingly haven’t been answered. We ended up also talking about some of the things you’ve done to honor our prayers and say, “Yes,” to us. I told her that I have faith you are working things out the way you want because I’ve seen you work powerfully through some of my prayers (especially if I fast about something) and since I know I have prayed and fasted about some things that I haven’t seen answered yet, I am confident you are doing it all in your time. So I reiterate that faith to you right now. I trust you. I trust you. I trust you. Help my distrust. And help me do today what you would have me to do.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 4)

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
Luke 2:1-5

Dear God, I think we tend to skip past this part of the story and get to the birth too quickly. Several years ago, there was a movie called The Nativity. It was a well-done movie that showed the experiences of Mary and Joseph as they led up to the birth of Jesus. I think the movie made the common mistake of showing that Mary went into labor as they rode into Bethlehem. That’s not what verse 6 says at all, but 90% of the movie was spent looking at the time between Gabriel’s first visit and Jesus’s birth.

In the case of this passage, I want to just spend some time thinking about Mary and Joseph traveling together and spending alone time together, all for the first time. I don’t know how much they knew each other before they were engaged, but this certainly accelerated and changed any type of courtship and newlywed traditions customary for the time. What must their conversations have been like? How did they plan for this new reality? How did they dream? Did they allow themselves to “suppose” about Jesus’s life and who he would be? Did they talk about how afraid they were when the met Gabriel? Did they talk about Elizabeth and Zechariah and Mary’s experience with them? Did Joseph admit to her that he was planning to divorce her quietly before Gabriel told him not to? Did they just hold onto each other because they were the only ones they had in this strange town? I would imagine that this was an in readable time of bonding for both of them.

I remember anticipating our son’s birth. I told my wife over and over again, “I just can’t wait to meet him.” He was a stranger to me, but the most important stranger I’d ever anticipated meeting. I didn’t have any expectations about greatness he would achieve in his life like Mary and Joseph must have had, but I did look forward to getting to know him and his personality. The same was true for my daughter as well, but I’m reflecting on our son because, as Jesus was for Mary and Joseph, he was our first. I remember my wife and I talking about how we felt inadequate to be parents. We were nervous. We didn’t have much money and didn’t know how we would afford things for our child. But we had a home, health insurance that provided a hospital room for the delivery, and I had a job to go to give us at least some financial stability. In short, we had all kinds of advantages on Mary and Joseph, but we still had a special time of bonding over the pregnancy as well.

Father, thank you for my wife. Twenty-four years ago right now, she was pregnant with our son. We could feel him move around. We were buying clothes and building baby furniture. And I’m glad we still have those memories. They seem so long ago, and yet, I still remember some parts quite vividly. But I’m very grateful for what we had then and what we have now. It’s a time that has wonderful potential for parents who are expecting–as long as both are ready to go through the experience together. I feel so sorry for those who go through it alone. I think there is definitely something missing for them and probably for their child as well.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 3)

And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy. His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him. He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.
Luke 1:46-55

Dear God, it’s been right at nine years that my wife and I have been going to a Catholic church, and while I am still not Catholic, I have read the Magnificat many many times. But I don’t know that I’ve ever really taken these words that are attributed to Mary and looked at them from her perspective. What were the experiences and emotions that propelled these words out of her mouth? What insights was she having with you that we now get to see 2,000 years later?

To set the context, Mary has just arrived at Elizabeth’s after finding out she is pregnant. We don’t know if she has told anyone else yet. We don’t know if anyone knows. But when she walked in the door, Elizabeth gave her all of the affirmation she needed, and Mary just seems to explode with these words.

• My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior: This is just flat out worship. Recognizing who you are first and foremost. Her soul magnifies you and her spirit rejoices in you.
• Because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant: She is in awe of you noticing her and counting her as worthy of this honor. She has probably always felt like her life would be limited and humble from beginning to end.
• Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy: She’s already had some time since Gabriel visited, perhaps on her journey, to think about her place in history. If what he said is true, then she will be known as the mother of the Messiah for eternity. She had no idea how this would play out, but in her mind she was aware enough to know that this would elevate her to a place in history that women of the time simply never would achieve.
• His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him: She knows a savior is coming. Like Zechariah, she probably has the wrong idea about what that savior will look like, but she knows that those who hear you are within your mercy through the generations.
• He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly: Again, she probably thinks Jesus is coming to topple Rome. She likely thinks her new baby will bring about Israel’s freedom from the rule of Rome or any other country. The new paradigm that Jesus will bring probably never occurred to her.
• He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty: I would imagine when you are poor and oppressed there are two main things that hit your radar: hunger and shelter. In her mind, this seems to be an outreach to the poor as well. After all, she is poor. Will the Messiah lift up and provide for the poor as well? Will he topple the wealthy? That seems to make sense to her, but that’s not necessarily the way you work.
• He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors: She thinks revolution is coming. Just like Zechariah doesn’t have it completely right, Mary doesn’t yet appreciate that Jesus came for the gentiles too.

Father, what I see here is a young woman figuring things out much like the rest of us do. She is worshiping you, but without perfect knowledge. But that’s okay. You’ll take it anyway because you know her heart is pure in it. She will learn over the years. She will become disillusioned much like I have. And I still have a long way to go. I don’t understand what you are doing in my life or the lives of my wife and children. But I’m here to worship you. I give you my worship and my praise.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 2)

In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”
Luke 1:39-45

Dear God, I can only imagine the buyer’s remorse Mary felt when after Gabriel left her. It’s easy to say yes in the moment, but then reality starts to set in:

• What will my parents say?
• What will Joseph say?
• What will my friends and the community say?
• Will Joseph break off the engagement?
• Who will ever believe me?
• Will the town stone me?
• How am I going to raise this baby?
• Who will this baby turn out to be?
• How can I be the person chosen to do this?
• Did I just imagine this whole thing? Am I really pregnant?
• This isn’t how I thought my life would go at all!

So she naturally set out to see Elizabeth since Gabriel told her in verse 36 that she is pregnant too. Maybe she will understand.

So I’m sure all of these thoughts (and more) were running through her mind as she went to see Elizabeth. Perhaps she hoped Elizabeth and Zechariah would help her with her parents. But the big thing happened as soon as she showed up, and it the thing I mentioned back when I talked about Joseph and the shepherds showing up in the stable: affirmation! As soon as she got there she never had to tell Elizabeth anything. Elizabeth just spontaneously told her, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside of me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken in her!”

Mary had to have thought, Oh, thank goodness I don’t have to justify anything to you. I can just tell you my story and you’ll believe me. I’m sure Zechariah and Elizabeth had had a lot of written conversations about what Gabriel had told him and now the puzzle was starting to make sense to them. I want to spend some time tomorrow breaking down Mary’s response to this, so I’ll do the Magnificat later. Right now, I want to just sit with the relief. The anxiety and then the way you alleviated her fears.

I guess one last thing here. I think it’s interesting that Matthew gives us Gabriel’s visit to Joseph and Luke gives us his visit to Mary. Neither book gives both. Thank you for giving us both of these gospels.

Father, thank you for the little affirmations you give to me. There are times when I have great anxiety, but you are faithful to me and you are always there to comfort me. I don’t always come to you for that comfort. Sometimes I am sinful and try to assuage my anxiety with self-indulgence. But when I come to you, you comfort me. You will send me signs and wonders. You will meet a need in a miraculous way. You are good. I am truly sorry for the times when I am only looking for distractions to ease my fear instead of looking to you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

“Along the Road” by Ashton, Becker, Dente

“Along the Road” by Ashton, Becker, Dente (written by Dan Fogelberg)

Joy at the start
Fear in the journey
Joy in the coming home
A part of the heart
Gets lost in the learning
Somewhere along the road

Along the road
Your path may wander
A pilgrim’s faith may fail
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Darkness obscures the trail

Cursing the quest
Courting disaster
Measureless nights forebode
Moments of rest
Glimpses of laughter
Are treasured along the road

Along the road
Your steps may stumble
Your thoughts may start to stray
But through it all a heart held humble
Levels and lights your way

Joy at the start
Fear in the journey
Joy in the coming home
A part of the heart
Gets lost in the learning
Somewhere along the road
Somewhere along the road
Somewhere along the road

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Dan Fogelberg

Dear God, some of the poetry in this song might be too much for me to get into, but something brought it to mind the other day so I thought I would spend some time with it.

It was recorded by three different women Christian artists who combined for one album in the mid-90s. This was the closing track on the album and was probably the best song on the album. It helps that it was written by Dan Fogelberg, one of the great poetic songwriters over the last 50 years. There is a ton of poetry in here.

I think I want to look at this song this morning on more of a macro level than a micro one. What is the overall emotion I’m left with after I listen to it. Hmm. That’s harder to answer than I thought it would be. There some sadness in there. There’s some peace. There is a little hope. I guess that’s what a good song/poem can do. It can tap into a lot of different emotions at once.

For me, as I sit here at 50, my life has certainly been a whirlwind of emotion. As I look back on it, however, I’m grateful that there is as much joy in it as there is. As I read how the song starts and ends–“Joy at the start, Fear in the journey, Joy in the coming home”–I immediately thought about the people who didn’t have joy at the start of their journey and don’t have it at the end. It breaks my heart when I start to think about how many children, adults, and elderly live their whole lives in fear and don’t have the joy in the in between times, or at the beginning or end.

As for me, My childhood was a mixture, but certainly more joy than fear. This middle part of my journey, frankly, has had more joy that fear as well, although the fear, anger, and hurt I’ve experienced were more than I ever expected. And then there is the peace of knowing that, whenever the end of my journey comes, I will have this great joy of being with you. I guess what gives me peace is working for you now, worshipping you now, and knowing that there will be great joy at the end of the journey.

Father, make my journey count. Help me to love others regardless of how they love me. Help me to work on the behalf of others for no personal benefit–even an emotional one. Help me to be exactly who you need me to be as part of my journey.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Jesus’s Mother (Part 1)

Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”

35 The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

Dear God, it is one thing to be Joseph and Jesus’s “step-father,” if you will. It’s another thing to be his actual mother. Flesh of her flesh. What an amazing thing for her in a physiological, psychological sense. This child was part of her and was partly her. Her DNA was in there along with yours. It add whole layer to what Joseph experienced. I’m sure it meant just that much more to her than to him, although I know it meant a lot to him too.

I think it’s interesting that Mary gets a little more latitude from the angel than Zechariah did. Zechariah asked in Luke 1:18, “How can I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Mary asks in Luke 1:36, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” Those questions don’t appear that different to me given each circumstance. But where Gabriel is a little harsh with Zechariah, he is gentle with Mary. I have a feeling that each actually got what they needed to prepare them for their journey. Zechariah probably needed those months (almost a year?) in silence to contemplate, study, and prepare himself to raise John the Baptist. Mary, on the other hand, needed the encouragement of Elizabeth. She needed to be able to communicate freely with Joseph. And she was just a young woman whereas Zechariah was older. Mary deserved a little more guidance.

With all of that said, that’s not what hit me when I first read this passage this morning. What hit me is the idea that none of us know what we are getting into when we become parents. We can think we are ready, but we aren’t. We can think we do have or don’t have enough money, but we are wrong. We can think we know what we are doing, but we have no idea. Even on the second or third child, we aren’t prepared like we would like to be. In her case, Mary had no idea what she was saying yes to. If she had, would she have done it? Would she have signed up for giving birth in a stable, moving to Egypt, moving back to Nazareth, losing Jesus when he was 12, watching a ministry from him that would lead to his crucifixion, and then going through the resurrection and the ascension? She lost her son at 33. Yes, he rose again, but he was still gone 40 days later. I’m sure this was not how she planned it out as she visited with Elizabeth or traveled to Bethlehem with Joseph.

Father, I still don’t know what being the father of my children really means, and they are in their 20s now. I don’t know what they need from me today, and I have no clue what they will need tomorrow. don’t even know how much longer they will have me on this earth, nor do I know how much longer I’ll have them. But I know that in this moment right now, I need to simply be your servant. I need to be your worshiper. I need you to flow through me and touch the world through me. And I need to simply rest in the knowledge that you know what my children need more than I do and you will be responsible for giving it to them. Much like Mary didn’t understand what was happening with Jesus’s life most of the time, I have no idea either. Help me to use that ignorance to my advantage and to build my faith in and worship of you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen