Many people
begin each year choosing a word to focus on for the year, to learn more about,
to look for, to grow in. Anyone have a
word for 2017… Maybe it’s a word that you are praying through…
Relief
Hope
Faith
Intentionality
This year
my own word was something terribly profound: the
word, BUT. Now let me explain. I realize that might not be too impressive…
so let me explain. I have come to
understand that so often we use the word but to negate something we’ve just said. Think about…
I really
like your dress, but I think it would better if it were green not blue.
The dinner
was delicious, but I would have preferred chocolate cake as dessert.
You did a
great job on this project, but there’s just one little problem.
Clay, you
got 2 A’s this semester, but that C in Math isn’t so good.
The service
was so worshipful today, but that last song was off.
So… for
this year, I’ve really tried to replace the word but with the word so…
It just
changed a negative turn… to, at least, a different thought.
So what? Recently I've read through the accounts of Matthew and Luke about the birth of Jesus. Always drawn to Luke… probably because of the familiarity, while trying to see the story
with new, fresh eyes.
Luke 1:28 reads, "The angel went to her and said, Greeting, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you. Mary was greatly troubled at his words and
wondered what kind of greeting this might be.."
She didn’t
know what the greeting would mean. I
have to believe the Lord says the same words to us often… and we are also
greatly troubled… because we don’t know what is coming… what He may be asking
us to do… not in our own power… but in His.
The
conversation with Gabriel continued with some details of what is to come….
Crazy details.
So Mary
responds with grace… I am the Lord’s servant.
May your words to me be fulfilled.
So then…
she really responds…beautifully, humbly with an overwhelming 9 verses of
praise…
Can you see
this scene: Elizabeth says, “Blessed is
she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her… Cue the lights. Dim everything except the spotlight on
Mary. Kinda like the scene in Charlie
Brown… Linus… reciting Luke 2.
So even
though she didn’t fully understand what was coming, she chose praise. The next verse brings the lights back up with
the words, Mary stay with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned
home.
I can't claim to get inside her head, but I have to think Mary surely was "paused" by the sudden announcement she received. She did not ask for or
seek this role in God's plans; God has simply stepped into her life and brought
her into His service. Her response was the choice to be faithful. Faithful
to serve… faithful to praise… faithful to His guidance..
So we are
being called… sometimes daily, sometimes unexpectedly, sometimes with little
warning…
Do we
respond in praise and faithfulness… or in uncertainty and fear…
I so want
to be like Mary… faithful…
So, I’ve
tried to take the “but” out of my responses… and then … Jesus is born, the
shepherds come..
And verse
19, But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart…
Instead of
fear, instead of angst, instead of
questions for all the details… But Mary … I think she could do that because she
was faithful… so just maybe I’ll put the word but Susan back in my vocabulary…
What do you
think?
And
Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things
for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in
their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just
as he promised our ancestors.” Luke 1:46-55
I just love finding a new post on your blog. Thank you and I sincerely hope you had a beautiful holiday with your expanding family ;) Love, Jill
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