Welcome to Jill Hamming, a friend of mine from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and a regular participant on this web page. She will share her reflections on the readings from Luke 1-2.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:39-56
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
What a joyous occasion -this meeting of Mary and Elizabeth. The Holy Spirit showed Elizabeth that Mary’s baby was Jesus before they even spoke! She was not jealous but rejoiced with her. Elizabeth must have been awed that her own baby leapt for joy. She applauds the fact that Mary had readily believed what the angel said to her
Mary burst into praise too. She thanked God for being her Savior, for recognizing her servant heart, for blessing her. She praises Him for His mercy to all the generations who fear (awe) Him. She remembers God’s power, that He is in charge, that He feeds the hungry, is ever merciful to Israel, as He had promised.
What a splendid time these two must have had together. They would have laughed and cried and prayed and wondered about the future of their children. Mary would have helped Elizabeth when she was weary.
Here was God the Son, come to earth as an unborn child, letting Mary take care of Him, letting both couples love and serve Him. He knew both the pain and the joy these parents would face later as their sons walked the roads laid out for them.
PRAYER:
Oh Lord, I don’t understand all the whys and wherefores of how You carried out Your plan to be a real baby. I do thank-you again that You came. Thank-you that You include us and let us serve you. Thank-you that You understand what being a physical person is like. Please, help me to remember that You do understand us completely. Amen.
OBSERVATION:
1. This room was packed with the presence of God: John the Baptist, the greatest of OT believers (Luke 7:28) and Jesus, the fullness of God in the womb, and two extremely blessed servants of God. No wonder both Elizabeth and Mary burst with the fullness of God and erupt in praise and worship. God is just busting out in this scene!
2. Mary’s song captures the heart of God’s purpose and mission. He is turning this messed up world order right-side-up, bringing down the high and mighty and raising up the humble, insignificant (in the world’s eyes, not in God’s). The WAY that God restores His perfect world (paradise, kingdom) is through humble servants emulating His compassion, mercy, truth and justice. This has always been God’s WAY, and it is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE of Jesus. Therefore it is (or ought to be) the way of the Christ-follower.
3. God does not choose to save the world through the worldly wise or powerful, but through simple, humble loving service. It is the meek who will inherit the new earth! This is the good news, though it is usually rejected by the high and mighty, those to full of themselves to let themselves be full of this God, and His way.
4. The baby in Elizabeth’s womb is John the Baptist, the first and only son of the high priest of Israel, whose task was to prepare the way for the Messiah. In other words, John, the culmination of the OT covenant (priests, temple, covenant, atonement, sacrifice, etc.), is but the preview for the REAL THING. Jesus is the reality that the whole OT is looking forward to, what makes the old covenant symbols leap for joy!
APPLICATION:
1. God is not impressed by my position, aside from its purpose to point to Jesus. I am not higher or better than ordinary Christ-followers. Like Paul, I am a servant, not “dominee” or “reverent” or “clergy”, just Norm. I have a task, but so do all anointed believers, to point the way to Jesus.
2. God is able to accomplish more through the simple surrender and obedience of a Mary than He is through all the celebrity leaders and speakers. Today’s church has become as worldly as the world in celebrating celebrity leaders (‘can I have your autograph?’), when in God’s eyes they are but servants, and even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than them (Luke 7:28).
3. How do I become a humble, surrendered and obedient servant of Jesus? How do I follow Him in humbly loving and serving my neighbour? Practically speaking, how (and to whom) will I show the generous, non-judgmental, kind love of Jesus today? Or will I pass by like the religious leaders in Jesus’ Good Samaritan parable?
PRAYER:
Lord, forgive me for missing the point in Mary’s life and song, that the thing that impresses You most is devotion to You and humble, obedient love toward others. Forgive me for talking about loving others, and help me to join You in doing it! Today! Amen.