Personal reflections on Advent: Love
(Click
on the link below to read the verses.)
Luke 1:26-38; Romans 5:1-5
Nine months is a
long time. Just ask any pregnant woman. But it may have felt especially long for
Mary. She was engaged to be married when she apparently got pregnant by someone
else.
Can you imagine as
she tried to explain to her fiancé, Joseph; her parents; her rabbi? Can you
picture the reaction of people as she told them the preposterous story of the
angel, and getting pregnant by the Holy Spirt? How ridiculous it must have
sounded; how ashamed she must have felt; how alone and isolated she became.
It’s not really
surprising that shortly after she learned about her condition that she went
away to visit her cousin Elizabeth. No doubt, her cousin was a great comfort
and encouragement to her. But still, nine months is a long time!
Do you think there
were times when Mary couldn’t remember the exact words of the angel? Did she
ever wonder if it had even been real, if it had actually happened? Doubt can easily
creep into our heart and mind when we’re feeling hungry, angry lonely or tired.
Whatever doubts
Mary may have had, she persevered. She was able to do so because God had spoken
directly into her heart and mind through an angel. He had promised to be with
her; he had told her how special she was to him; how much he loved her.
28 The
angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is
with you.”
29 Mary
was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might
be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be
afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. NIV
Just like Mary
experienced God’s hope and love through his word, we can too. And just like his
word and his promises carried Mary through difficult times, he is still
speaking to us, pouring out his love into our heart.
And we boast in the hope of the
glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory
in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces
perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and
character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to
shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. NIV
There’s a song by
Faith Hill called “A Baby Changes Everything”. It describes Mary’s experience of
being pregnant with Jesus, the Son of God. The final verse shifts from looking
at Mary to the song writer… and to us.
My whole life has turned around
I was lost but now I'm found
A baby changes everything, yeah
A baby changes everything
If you would like
to listen to it, click on the link below.
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