“A Visit” – December 25, 2011- Luke 1
Softly the heads of wheat crunch beneath her feet as she lets the large strands of wheat beat gently against her. She can see her friends in the distance joking and laughing - just doing the things they would do every day after the work is finished in the fields. Today is like many other days. She helps gather leftover sheaves in the fields to help her family so that they can make bread, cakes, and other items to sustain them during the year.
In the quiet moments by herself she often thinks about how God is putting everything in the world together in a concise neat order. When they are hungry, God provides food from the ground, when they are thirsty God provides water from the springs. When they are hot, God provides tall trees with fanned branched to keep them cool. To everything there seems to be an order and also provision.
She picks some seeds up that are scattered between the rocks and let them slide and fall from her hand. Everything has a beginning and to fulfill its purpose must also fall to the ground to fulfill a greater purpose of starting life over again. Seeds are the beginning of life. God even thought of a way to plant that gives of itself so that it can start a new life, fresh from the beginning again.
Looking up at the sun, it is slowly descending from its ordained place in the sky and bringing a beautiful sunset of orange and yellow hues. A painted masterpiece designed by God sent as a gift every day to remind her of His beauty and glory. Again, she sees God touching her heart keeping her contented and loved in His care.
She hears her mother calling her name. She is late. She doesn’t realize that time has passed by so quickly today. She has good parents who have taught her many things about who God is and how He has provided for His people down through the centuries. She has heard many stories of how God at just the right time and just the right place put His servants to help others and a nation. Esther was sent for “just a time as this” to help her people. Moses was raised as a prince as a half-brother to the king in the kingdom where he eventually would help his people be free from difficult lives of slavery. God knew what needed to be done and at just the right time God intervened by using normal, everyday people.
As the last few seeds falling to the ground are crushed beneath her feet, she recalls of the current tragedy under which her nation is suffering. Herod, the ruler of Israel, is a cruel King. He is paranoid by everything that surrounds him including his own family. He is greedy. He takes what does not belong to him. She has seen the maliciousness of the soldiers entering her village robbing from the people who have nothing - to pay for taxes so that Herod can build his ostentatious kingdom of palaces, pools, and theatres. He is selfish. Israel hears whispers of a coming Messiah - a King who will redeem them from the cruel harsh reality of King Herod. If ever Israel needed a Savior – the time is now.
However, she is nothing like King Herod. Her name is an ordinary name. She likes the same things as any other girl in her village. She is a teen filled with many hopes and dreams of what the future might be. Her parents have chosen a good man for her to marry. He seeks God and seems to have a tender and caring heart too. He is gentle and kind with others. He will be a good father to the children they will one day have together. He treats her well and often brings her fruit dates to share at the end of the day after he has finished building furniture, tools, farming equipment, and repairing homes in the village. He is a carpenter. He is a hard worker and has a confidence that God will always provide for the village and their needs.
Joseph is kind. He is well respected by the other families in the village. He is honest. His integrity is evident in all his business transactions and also in his personal relationships with his friends. He is a good man. She is happy that her parents chose so well for her. If she had been given a choice, she would have made the same decision.
The sun is setting and she is finally reaching the doorsteps of her home near the outskirts of the city. She is a farmer’s daughter and has been raised in the country. Her Aunt Elizabeth, her mother’s sister, and her Uncle Zachariah on the other hand live in the big industrial city. Rumors have come back that Elizabeth is finally going to have a baby. It is such a shock to everyone. Elizabeth always wanted children and has been almost like a mother to her when she was a younger girl because they were unable to have children of their own.
Zachariah is a well respected leader in their community and one of the spiritual leaders. But something odd happened just before Aunt Elizabeth discovered she was going to have a baby. As they do every year, lots were thrown together and only one was chosen. This man would enter the Synagogue as a representative of his community to ask for forgiveness of God for his village. The lots had been cast and Zachariah had been chosen. Again it is understood by everyone that God’s hand is even in the simple things of life.
She had heard this information relayed by many people as well as her uncle and aunt so she knows that this story is true and not just a rumor. When Zachariah entered the Temple he was acting as he usually did when doing the services of worship. But when he came out, he could no longer speak. For some unknown reason, God had silenced him. There were many speculations as to why this might have happened. Some people choose to be cruel. Some out of jealousy or spite create elaborate stories of disobedience that might have taken place. But Zachariah is a good man and faithful man of God. The vicious gossip fell and crashed to the floor with nothing of substance to keep it going. But he still cannot speak. Aunt Elizabeth is actually going to finally have a baby too.
Dinner has been completed and the daily chores of washing the dishes and preparing for the evening have taken place. She sighs. It has been a long day and rest beckons her for the night. She finds her spot in the loft and lays out her multi-colored woven mat of wool to lie down on over a stuffed mattress made of hay. The moon and stars shine down providing some gentle light as the evening fades into darkness.
Her eyes are heavy and slowly the passage of time moves her to rest in the surrounding shadows of night. Her family is already sleeping and she can hear the echoes of their murmurs and sighs through the hollow walls of their home. She prays. She prays for them. She prays for her friends in the village. She prays for her family who are miles away. She knows God listens and He hears the whispers of her heart. God is faithful. He remains faithful through the watches of the night.
In a moment, she is disturbed by a rustling in the room. She shivers in delight even though it is not cold. Light envelops her and she feels as if she has been surrounded and embraced by love. Her eyes tentatively open to see what has changed in her world of rest. A being so beautiful stands before her. She has never seen anything like him before. He glows with candescent light but he is visible as a man standing before her. Then he speaks.
“Greetings! You who are highly favored! You are beautiful with God’s beauty! Beautiful inside and out! God be with you!” She feels herself rock back and forth in discomfort. No one has ever called her beautiful and the words seem foreign but known to her. Why is this unknown stranger here? Why is he speaking with her? Who is he? Where did he come from? He looks as if he might have come from heaven. But why would God send an Angel to her?
His tone is smooth and caressing. His words are comforting “Mary, do not be afraid.” The words sooth her temporary fears. Something is happening, something is different. Again he speaks. “You have nothing to fear”.
The words fall heavy on her ears. Nothing to worry about - Nothing to be scared by -Nothing to be afraid of – Nothing to harm her.
The angel before her joyfully continues “God has a surprise for you!” God. This angel is from God. God is speaking. God is speaking to her. God cares about her. God wants to bless her. The moment is overwhelming but deep peace resides in her soul.
Gabriel as he is called again speaks “I bring you tidings of great joy! You are going to have a baby. He will be great and others will call Him the “Son of the Highest”, but you will call Him by His name - “Jesus”. He will rule the throne of David and the Kingdom of Jacob forever!”
She is perplexed. The angel must have gone to the wrong home. Doesn’t God known that she hasn’t even had a boyfriend yet? Even Joseph was chosen by her parents. Disappointed, she thinks for a slight moment that God must have meant the message for someone else.
She feels her lips speak in response to her anxiety, “But how can this be? How can this happen? In my life so far, I haven’t been with a man.”
The Angel reassures her with words that speak deeply to her heart. “The Holy Spirit will come. The power of the Most High will hover over you. The child that God is sending to you will be Holy. He is the Son of God”.
She ponders this for a moment. God is holy. He is righteous. All that belongs and is of Him is good, pure, and holy. Nothing false is ever found in God. God is the beginning and the end. His glory is eternal. All that is in the heavens and on the earth worship Him.
The Angel again provides evidence of God’s leading and guidance in her life and those around her as well. He reminds her that Elizabeth is also going to have a child. Everyone knows that she was unable to have children, but here she is pregnant with a gift from God too. Nothing is impossible with God. God can do anything.
She reflects about who God is and all that He means to her. God is greater than anything that is in front of her. His methods are beyond the understanding of men. His purposes are true. He is Lord and governor, preserver, and guardian of all things. He is sending a Savior to redeem the world. He is sending a Savior because He loves His creation so much. He is sending a Savior to save people from themselves. He is sending a Savior because He loves each one of us.
Her thoughts rush back to the stories of Esther, to Moses, to Abraham, to Elijah, the many servants of God who listened to the message and fulfilled God’s will for their lives. God is faithful. He calls and redeems His people.
She feels compelled to share what she is feeling “Yes, I see it all now. I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me, JUST as you say.” She recalls the words found in Esther that she was called for “just a time as this”. This is the moment God is calling her. This is the moment that she is fulfilling the role that God has given her. This is the moment that God is speaking and she is listening. This is the moment that God will reach out to each person and in love bring them again to Him.
How is God speaking to you? What is He saying? Is there something that God has called you to do?
As you reflect on this past year, what gifts has He provided for you? Where have you seen God’s intervention? Where have you experienced God’s faithfulness?
What plans does God have for you? What ministry do you feel God is leading you to fulfill? Where has God placed you for ‘such a time as this’?
