The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Tuesday
December 16, 2008
Mary asked the angel, "But how can this happen? I am a virgin."
The angel
replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called
the Son of God.
What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become
pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's now in her
sixth month.
For nothing is impossible with God."
Mary responded, "I
am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." And
then the angel left her.
Luke 1:35-38 (Yes, I know this is the
same scripture I used yesterday!)
I was excited when I read these words. In a wonderful old movie, on a very said day, the people were having a bad day and sang the words, "For we need a little Christmas right this very minute. . .we need a little Christmas now."
On Halloween people dressed in witches costumes, like vampires, and some of satan's many other disguises that so many people deem harmless. How thankful I am that we now embark on Christmas. How blessed we are to remember God's promise of hope through an innocent virgin girl.
We can't begin to imagine how Mary felt when Gabriel appeared to her and told her that very soon she would be pregnant and have the promised Messiah. Yet, Mary reached somewhere inside her, with the assistance of her faith, and believed this Messenger from God. She agreed that she would be the Lord's servant and submitted to whatever that price would be.
We will never know how this woman's heart was ripped apart as she watched her first born son beaten and killed with public disgrace. In those moments, Jesus wasn't Messiah, but her precious child. Yet, history tells us she went on after that day and lived a life of strength and dignity trying to build His Kingdom of love.
Most of us feel unworthy to share God's hope with others because of things from our past or the pain of our present circumstances. I want to share with you today the words of a song on one of my favorite Sandi Patty CDs. Maybe I will be forgiven for not getting the copyright.
"There've been times in my life, You've opened the doors.
They weren't
what I was hoping for,
So I walked right by them;
I didn't even try
them.
There've been dreams I forgot;
I didn't even try them.
There've been dreams I forgot and dreams I let die;
Unnoticed sunsets in
front of my eyes.
I just couldn't see them;
I thought I didn't need
them.
Sure, there are things I'd do different and yet,
Grace gives me
days where I simply forget.
'Cause You set me free to run through fields of
laughter,
And to sing as though I have no yesterdays.
You set me free
from my befores and afters;
From a debt I know I'll never pay; when You set
me free.
There've been chances to love that I've ignored
And mercies I
found I couldn't afford.
I'm sure I would have shown them
If I would
have known
Then how we all play a part in each other's lives
And there's
more to the game than winning the prize.
So much I want to try now,
I
feel like I could fly now.
Sure, there are things I'd do different and yet,
Grace gives me days where I simply forget.
Father, you father me ever so
patiently,
You give me wings to fly; when You set me free."
Our Father truly does father us patiently and frees us to fly with the freedom of hope and forgiveness. May we, like Mary, be willing to let God mold us into something beautiful. We no longer need to wear a mask to cover our pain. We are given wings to fly with His love.
