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Stranger in the House-3

Part 3

36 “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age.

People said she couldn’t have a child.

37 But nothing is impossible for God.”

38 Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”

Then the angel left her.”

 

The Stranger (Angel) has been interacting with young Mary, giving her the news that her entire life was about to change, and a Path was being laid for her that no other human being had ever walked. Patience and gentleness was extended to this young teenager as they spoke together in her family’s home.  The Stranger had given her a brief glimpse of who this Child would be . . . in her body, her life, in her world, in history, and in the entire story of Eternity.  To say it’s a lot for a young girl to take in is the gravest understatement ever.

She would have to agree to everything the Stranger had told her.  It would be her choice.  Nothing would be forced upon her.  I wonder how many other young women had been approached with this invitation.  Had others encountered this Stranger, but been unwilling to hear?  Unwilling to consider the Proposal?   Unwilling to say “Yes”?  We don’t know….nothing is written of such a story.  But God has always used humans to carry out His Plans.   Some have said “Yes,” and we have all those stories to read in His Book.  How many were invited to join Him in His Plans, but knowingly or unknowingly refused to say, “Yes.  I will.”?

Mary did say yes.  She had no idea of the repercussions of that choice which would echo throughout time and all of history.

In this Story, the Stranger had one more thing to tell Mary:

36 “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age.

People said she couldn’t have a child.

37 But nothing is impossible for God.”

What a Gift this was to Mary!   Her relative, Elizabeth, was six months ahead with her own miracle baby….who would be called John the Baptist.  Elizabeth was someone she knew.  Someone she trusted.  Someone her family would trust.

God, Who’s Timing is always perfect, had brought into being another child, one who would be among the greatest Prophets of God in all of history.  A miracle conception.  A miracle birth.  A Divinely-orchestrated Destiny that would be interwoven with the life of Jesus throughout His time on earth.

Mary would have many months with Elizabeth….watching the phases of pregnancy that she would soon experience, in a safe, loving environment. It would be away from the gossip and condemnation of the townspeople of Nazareth who knew Mary and that she was not yet married.

The babies would be cousins, both carrying the Message of God….John’s message focusing on the One Who would make it possible to know and be reconciled to God….Jesus being the Perfect Picture of God and the Great Sacrifice to make it possible for mankind to find forgiveness from sin and reconciliation with God.

As young Mary spent her days with Elizabeth, all those conversations that Mary may have not been able to have with her own mother were safely shared with Elizabeth.  And all the experiences of each stage of pregnancy were shared together, including Elizabeth giving birth and those critical first weeks/months as a new mother. Mary had a close view of Elizabeth’s “new mother” experiences.  And Mary lived under the shelter and protection that Zechariah and Elizabeth provided.

Mary watched a miracle baby and his mother and father for 6 months, before returning home to Nazareth and all the life-changing experiences that lay ahead.  She could not have known that her own baby would be born in a dirty animal stall, in a strange town and only her new husband with her, not her mother.  Then their flight to Egypt through the desert with their baby boy.  Mary had learned what to expect in caring for a new baby through her time with Elizabeth.

God alone knew what was ahead for that young family.  He had it covered.  Not in a way that would have been humanly preferred nor planned.  But covered, nonetheless.

~  ~   ~   ~  ~   ~   ~  ~   ~   ~   ~  ~   ~   ~  ~   ~   ~  ~   ~   ~  ~   ~   ~  ~   ~   ~  ~

How willing are we… am I… to say “yes” to something God is asking of me?  Without the full plan, the details, the purpose, strategy, financial impact, the “what will people think” considerations all thought through?  Though those things are valid, God does not seem to work on those terms.    I need  to simply trust that HE has all of that worked out, and it’s my most important role to put my eyes on Him, slip my hand into His, and say, “Yes.  I will.  I will trust You.”

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Stranger in the House-2

Part 2

30 “The angel told her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God.

31 You will become pregnant, give birth to a son, and name him Jesus.

32 He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High.

The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.

33 Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever,  and his kingdom will never end.”

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of

the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.”

 

Following the Angel’s reassurance and encouragement to this frightened young teenager whose world is about to turn completely upside-down (vs.28-30), he goes on to give her some of the practical details.  She has no idea at this point what this Stranger in her house will say.

In one sentence,three points, (v.31) he presents the mission she has been asked to join:

  • Become pregnant;
  • Give birth to a son;
  • Name Him Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but I’d probably have tuned out after the first bullet-point.  It seems to have been true for Mary, as well. . . “How can this be?  I’m a virgin.” (:34)

The Stranger had moved right on to His most important subject….all the unfathomable descriptions concerning this Baby who was about to turn her world  upside down.(:32-:33)  But, Mary apparently was still stuck on the very first step of her future. . .

And to add to the complications, she was engaged.  But she probably wasn’t even thinking of what to do about that!

(:31)  “You will become pregnant….”

She asks, “How can this be?  I’m a virgin.” (:34)

God has the full plan….sees the past, future and present all at the same time.  Time and human limitations are not any problem for Him.  And His unending patience  is just part of how He continues to interact with  us.   His patience with Mary is so gentle!  The Stranger steps quickly into her questions and her shock.  There is no condemnation like, “Where is your faith?   Do you doubt me?  Do you doubt God???”….none of that.  So patiently and gently the Stranger takes a step backward to meet Mary where she’s become stuck.  He walks her through the process, from the start…

“The Holy Spirit will come to you…the Power of the Most High will overshadow you.”

It would not be a physical interaction for this young virgin. It would be Spirit…the Holy Spirit….coming to her.  Then God’s Power would cover her….”overshadow”…. A shadow is not a being…there is no human tangible substance in a shadow.  You can see a shadow, you can be “in” a shadow.  But there is nothing to do with a shadow that is physical.  There would be the Power of God present, but that thought, hopefully, is one of wonder and awe…not fear.

The work would be all on God’s part.   Mary would only have to be willing to let Him do His work in her life.

Something so far beyond human understanding, yet brought to her with respect, gentleness, patience, and allowing her to ask questions and be answered in human terms that she could try to absorb.  No guilt.  No condemnation.  The pure nature of the Holy Spirit was so beautifully displayed through the Stranger in His interaction with young Mary.

Asking “How?” of God isn’t wrong.  We may not be able to absorb or fathom His “How’s”, but it isn’t wrong to ask.  And then hold on tightly each step of the way ahead.

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Stranger in the House

Part 1

“The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph.

The virgin’s name was Mary.

 When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said,

“You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.”

 She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant.

 The angel told her,

“Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God.’”  Luke 1:27-30 GW

 First, a little Middle-East context:

  • It is the most common place for women and girls to be: In the house.  For a woman or young girl to be outside doing anythingalone is questionable…even dangerous.  It gives a sense of being unprotected, vulnerable, or even morally questionable.
  • Visitors and guests to a home are honored, and show honor. When a guest comes to the home, they make their presence known by announcing “Peace”….(Shalom!  Salaam!)  It puts the person inside the house at ease.  (no doorbells or intercoms!)
  • The greeting from the angel was different from any other throughout the history of the world. Within middle-eastern greetings, there are traditionally polite inquiries as to how family members are before getting down to the point of the visit.  That point may be further delayed by greetings from other family members or friends in the home.
  • This greeting appears to come quite quickly in the conversation. He did not ask first to speak with her father or mother.  This Messenger had information to share that needed to be said directly, without delay. “You are favored by the Lord!” “The Lord is with you.”   How kind the angel was to assure this young, unsuspecting girl that God was the One who was sending the message, and that it was ALL GOOD.
  • This Stranger called her by name.  He knew her name. Knowing a person’s name, and calling them by name breaks through many unspoken barriers. Knowing someone’s name is a big step toward singling out someone from the crowd.  My name identifies me as a unique individual.  It is the “title” of my identity.
  • “Mary” . . . was the Messenger’s way of making her realize that this conversation was very specific, unique, and within the context of a very personal one-on-one connection. She wasn’t just a random young girl.  He wasn’t just talking to the first available female in the house.  She had been pinpointed.  He, speaking for God, knew her by name.

God’s Messenger, carrying out to the detail what God had given him to communicate, includes such gentleness and sensitivity toward Mary:

  • He came to her….within her context…within her daily life; her most comfortable setting;
  • He respected her culture. I’m sure this isn’t the “normal” culture of Heaven;
  • He was sensitive to her mental and emotional reactions…especially fear;
  • He calms and reassures her first, so that she could even hearthe words He was sent to tell her.

This is how God, through His Holy Spirit, approaches us.  He “knocks at the door of our heart.”  He waits for us to open the door and invite Him in.   He does not barge in uninvited.  He calls us by name.  His Spirit – the Comforter – comes to us and oh so patiently begins to show us the Plans He has for my life, and unfolds more of the picture as we slip our hand into His and begin to walk the Path upon which He leads us.  One step at a time.   (to be continued)

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Coming Near

“Draw near to God,

He will draw near to you.”

James 4:8

She was lovely, sitting on the floor in front of me, quietly coaching me on basic Arabic vocabulary.  Suddenly the room cleared and we were alone.  Leaning in, she quietly asked,  “You know Jesus?”   In this place where Followers were not welcome, I hesitated.  Was it a trap?

“Yes,” I nodded.

“Tell me!”

Without knowing much about her nation’s faith, I began at the beginning….where sin entered the world…distancing us from God. I touched on the many messengers who God had sent throughout time, longing to draw us back to Himself.  And then, choosing to “come Himself…”   She finished those two words along with me.  Tears filled her eyes.      “You speak of God as One so near to you.  We only know of Him as so high above us…so far from us.”

As our time ended, I prayed for her….that God would come near to her, and that she would come to know Him. . .as near.  With tears running down her cheeks, she quickly asked that I write the words I had prayed so that she could pray them herself.

A year later, we saw each other again.  She said,  “I pray this prayer every day, and my mom and dad like this prayer very much, so we all pray it together every day.”

 This world is filled with people who long to experience God coming near to them.  Yet, they have not known how that could be possible.

We who have come to know Him as the One Who Draws Near to us carry the great privilege of knowing Him “near.”   May we live this . . . and share this . . .in our world, to our world, where so many have never known it was possible to be near.

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Thanksgiving Story

“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back,

 praising God in a loud voice.

 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him

—and he was a Samaritan.”  

Luke 17:15-16

Jesus was, as usual, crossing the cultural and religious “lines” of his earthly world.  He had chosen to take a route back to Jerusalem that went through Samaritan territory…..”shlepping” where Jews preferred NOT to “shlep.”  To make matters worse, Jesus passed through a “special area”  that was reserved for lepers – outcasts of the towns.  These were the “untouchables,” and had to declare themselves to anyone passing by, so travelers would not risk being contaminated by their leprosy.  Humiliating! Jesus did not seem to see all those “lines” that this world draws that are meant to separate people from each other.

The lepers saw Jesus and recognized Him as Someone who could help them.  They called out to Him…by name…asking for His help.  Jesus directed them to go to the nearby priest in the village, to have him check their skin.  They all headed to the village, their skin healing as they walked.  Imagine their amazement and thrill as they watched their skin becoming new.  No more living in pain….no more living as outcasts….no more separation from their families…their lives!   I can imagine that their walking soon became running.  It was a miracle!!!

BUT….one of them stopped.  He turned around, walking….running…back to the place where he had been suffering on so many levels for such a long time!

Jesus was there.

The man with the new skin threw himself at Jesus’ feet. He had tofirst thank this One who had heard their cries, stopped, and spoken Words that began the healing process that would change their lives. His life.

The other 9 had continued back to their village….homes….families…lives.  But this one, a Samaritan at that, went back, falling at the feet of Jesus.  He could not go home without thanking the One Who had stopped, heard, and given him a new life.

May our words and our lives be a thanks-giving to Him as well.

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Thankful

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving

 and His courts with praise;

 give thanks to Him

 and praise His name.”

  Psalm 100:4

When I think of times I have been the most thankful, it is often when I have been doing without something, and then the situation has changed to “doing with”.  Being withoutseems to make beingwithmore meaningful.

[For me, one example that springs to mind is that not a day goes by that I do not sincerely thank God for flush toilets. Really!  Having grown up with that wonderful invention in every place I’d ever lived, I never realized its value and blessing until I began spending time in desert places that have none.  (Without going into detail, they’re called “squatty-potty’s” …..I’m sure you can get the idea.  The acrobatics involved only add to the adventure, and my gratitude!)  The point is that gratitude springs up most when we experience something good that we’ve not experienced before.]

The first time I visited the ruins of the Temple in Israel where Jesus had literally walked, I was struck by the different courtyards designated for different groups of people.  The “court” nearest to where God’s Presence resided allowed for spiritual leaders, then further back more common folk (men), then women and Gentiles (non-Jews).  If I had lived in that time, I would have been waaayyy in the back.  The literal experience of being so far away from where the ancient spiritual Presence and worship took place struck me deeply.

Because of what Jesus did in giving His Life for us, all those old categories crumbled away, and He made it possible to “come near” to Him.  We can walk through that gate…and keep moving through all those designated “courts”…right into His Presence.   Men, women, children, no matter your ethnicity, “status” in life, or any of the other categories with which people are labeled.

He simply opens up His Arms and says, “Come!”

 

 

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Like Babies

“Desire God’s pure word

as newborn babies desire milk.

Then you will grow in your salvation.

Certainly you have tasted that the Lord is good!” 

1 Peter 2:2-3

We can make things very complicated, can’t we?  I was awake at 4 am today, and my mind was quickly spinning, moving along from topic to topic as my conscious brain seemed to kick into high gear.  After about 3 hours, I was a mess.  Emotionally and mentally.   Then, I heard a little “ding” on my phone, and here was the “verse of the day” that I check every morning.  It seemed to bring all of the thoughts, worries, fears and emotions down to something very simple and basic.

I love babies.  I am fascinated watching them in their “awake” hours….how much they are taking in every moment, and learning.  I love holding them, engaging with them, and take delight in rocking them to sleep.  After repeating the same lullabye with each baby’s favorite rocking position – 14 in our family, including the first 3 baby boys who were my own –  I am kind of a “baby whisperer,”  and have moved into a whole new level by putting myself to sleep in the process!

In our complex lives, overly-stimulated minds, and daily bombardment of stressful realities, it is good to hit the “pause button” and be reminded of how our Father God sees us. We’re His “babies”…..like a mother often looks at her grown children but still glimpses her babies.

Peter seemed to “get that.”   Though a very energetic “act-before-you-think” follower of Jesus, he captured the picture of the simple, pure basics of knowing Jesus, remembering where we’ve come from, and Who’s we are.  Spiritually babies, just beginning to grow into a life that has been born anew into a child/father relationship with God.  Those early days of total dependency and safety in His Arms build the trust and security that we will need to live out however many years we have on this earth.  Remembering Who He Is, and Whose we are, is the Foundation we have for the rest of our lives.

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Wilder-ness

[ A psalm by David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.]

“O God, you are my God.

At dawn I search for you.

My soul thirsts for you.

My body longs for you in a dry, parched land

 where there is no water.” 

Psalm. 63:1

Have you ever thought about the term “wilderness”? It looks like it sounds…”wild-er-ness.”   It’s “wilder” than the normal places of trees, “green” vegetation, and water.   It’s “wilder” than most people choose to live in.   Dry.  Harsh. Less of everything that would be considered “nice.”   Wilderness is a small step up from desert…minus the beauty.

Picture how David describes his wilderness…..

  • He is experiencing “wilderness” in a way that he needs to call out to God; he reminds himself of Who God is to him.   He’s been through a wilderness night, with all of its darkness, vulnerability, shadows, strange sounds, and the fears that swell in our hearts when we are utterly alone;
  • As the sky begins to lighten by the yet-unseen sun’s gentle glow, still beyond the horizon, the fears of the long, dark night begin to slowly dissolve.
  • Throughout the darkness of the night, he became aware of his thirst….for water, surely, but also a deeper thirst in his soul.The wilderness experience focuses our attention inward, and the deep dryness of soul is felt….without distraction….and without any way for us to bring relief to that deep place.
  • The growing thirst in our soul drives us to look for some relief… something to quench and ease the gnawing awareness of deep need of fresh water for our parched lips, dry mouth, dehydrated body and sad soul.

Whatever drew us to that wilderness place has only increased our need ….physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  We come face to face with our present reality, and it forces us to look up.  The night is over.

And God is there.

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Getting the Best Advice

“The Lord advisesthose who fear him.

He revealsto them the intentof his Promise.

My eyes are always on the Lord. He removes my feet from traps.”

Psalm 25:14-15

Where do you look when you need advice?   A mentor? A trusted friend?  A wise person in your life?   A parent?  A spiritual advisor?  The internet? Books?

How about God Himself?   Do you think of Him in that way?

An advisor is different from “materials.”   An advisor is an interactive resource…one who can listen to you, ask good questions, provoke your thoughts and help you see into the future a bit.   A good advisor has wisdom.

Thinking about God as my own Advisor adds a wonderful dimension to Who He Is.  Note the ways the Psalm writer describes Him:

  • He advises: Not demands, not commands.  We can go to Him with our needs, ask for His advice (with healthy respect), knowing that He is near, and aware;
  • He has already given us Promises, and He will help us understand the intent of those Promises.Knowing that He has made promises to us lays a beautiful groundwork for us to come to Him.  He will “go there” with us, helping us to understand the intent of those Promises.  He opens His own heart to us, willing to give us His Time and Patience as we ask Him to help us truly understand and clarify what His Promises mean in our lives.  He gives us permission to think, wonder, and ask questions.  There is a two-way relationship involved.
  • As the Psalm writer states, “my eyes are always on the Lord.” This One Who gave me life and made promises for my life is worthy of my conscious attention, always.  And there will be wonderful “Aha” moments throughout life when we see in new ways the loving and wise reasons behind His Promises and guidance.  (even when we have come precariously close to the traps along our path.)
  • When we step into one of those “traps”, His response is not to stand there saying, “I told you so!”, leaving us bloodied and unable to keep walking. He steps into that nasty, bloody situation….opens the trap, and removes my “foot” painful and gross as it is, freeing me from what I’ve blindly stepped into.
  • Best part: He’s never too busy, can always take my call, and He’s always right!

 

 

 

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When He’s Near

“Seek the Lord while he may be found.

Call on him while he is near.”  

Isaiah 55:6

Sometimes we go through seasons in our lives when God seems distant …far from us.

At other times we sense that He is very near.   

Isaiah certainly had those seasons in life when he felt very alone.  Yet he knew that he was not abandoned by God.  Often, after the times of feeling the distance, he experienced God in new ways, and God did amazing things in Isaiah’s life.

Those seasons of feeling lost or far away from God are often times when we become more desperate for His nearness.  We may even begin to imagine what we would do if He had left us.  Our pursuit of Him becomes more urgent.

But it’s in those times when He is more evident and active in our lives that we can slip into “neutral” in our pursuit of Him. We take Him for granted when life is going well.

Thoughts of, “OK…I’ve got this now!” or “Hey! Things are going great!  I’ll take it from here!” creep into our minds.   We begin to lose the passion for Him that was driven by desperation over tough things in our lives.  

 When we do not feel our pressing need for our Rescuer, the direction of our pursuit often changes as well.

But He is the same yesterday….today….and forever. When we wait to call on Him until something desperate happens, we miss the sweetness of His Presence because we have been enjoying other sweet things instead.

Think about how you feel when you are being taken for granted by someone you care about.   Or is there someone in your life who only comes to you when they need you?  Doesn’t it cheapen the relationship you have shared?

My 11 grandchildren take turns having a “date” with me.  They want to, and it warms my heart.  Recently, one of the little boys had his turn and chose a cute movie to watch with me. We had our popcorn, pillows, blankets and sippy-cups, and settled in to watch our movie.  In a short while, his little hand made its way into mine…without a word or glance. And we just sat there holding hands as the movie played. It was a precious moment for me.

God created each of us with intentionality….with Love….with the goal of relationship.  In all of His Goodness,  Kindness, and Love, all of His Plans for us involved relationship with Him. That is cheapened when we don’t run to Him unless we need or want something.  We “use Him” for what He can do for us.

Isaiah points out God’s heart for us in that, even when we don’t feel “needy” or “lost”, He wants us to pursue Him…not for what we “need”….but because we simply love Him.