CHRISTMAS ~ MUSINGS OF MARY

God chose Mary to be the mother of His Son, the Lord Jesus. Doesn’t that boggle your mind?

When did God choose Mary to be the mother of the Lord Jesus? Revelation 13:8b tells us that the “Lamb (Jesus) [was] slain before the foundation of the world.” Mary must have been chosen way back then. Mary was the “virgin” of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa 7:14) which was written hundreds of years before Christ was born. God prepared and committed this most delicate task to Mary. Mary was in the mind of God before the world was created. You and I were in God’s mind that far back also (Eph.1:4). Unfathomable but wonderful!

Why did God choose Mary? Again God’s prophecy gives us the answer. Both Mary and Joseph, her legal protector, were descendants of David (Luke 1:20,36). This fulfilled the prophetic requirement. Mary was a Jewish princess, but the royal line was not ruling at that time so she considered herself of “lowly manner” (Luke: 1:48).

God endowed Mary with the beauty of humility. She was the absolute one for such an honor as were Ruth, Sarah, and others. Doesn't that encourage us as we note how God has chosen faulty material to accomplish great things? It is all of God’s grace; not our worthiness.

As we look at Luke 1:38 we see another endowment of Mary which prepared her to be a worthy vessel of the Lord’s choosing. Mary was submissive.  “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy word”. What must have crossed her mind as she uttered her words of surrender, “according to [your] word?” Realize the embarrassment of her position. Think of her stigma of unwed motherhood. How could she explain this to Joseph? Certainly he would realize that the child to be born was not his. She would be accused of adultery by everyone. Adultery was an offense punishable by stoning (Deut. 22:13-21). Yet she graciously submitted to God’s will.

As we turn to the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), we are impressed that Mary’s heart and mind were saturated with the Word of God as she quoted from the Old Testament. If she had not been familiar with O.T. scripture would she have realized that she was part of God’s plan to send the Messiah? Her knowledge of God’s Word led her to give up her plans and follow God. Are we so prepared?

From the human standpoint let us consider what Jesus’ birth cost Mary. Nagging thoughts must have put question marks in her mind. Will Joseph believe my story? Or will he allow my stoning?   What will the townspeople think? Then there was the trip to Bethlehem which must have made her cringe. At birthing time there was no privacy: only hard ground, unpleasant smells, no medical help, no friends, and an unsanitary environment. But there were compensations. An angel chorus announced the event and shepherds came to worship the Jesus.

“Christmas was a costly affair to God.” We are the beneficiaries. “He (Jesus) came to pay a debt  He didn’t owe, because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.” His Christmas gift to us. Let us rejoice and thank the Giver of such a costly gift.

THANKSGIVING -- AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” Psa: 118:24. “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say rejoice” Phil. 4:4.

As I sit down at my computer this morning, I am going to bare my heart as God directs, trusting that He will bless your heart as He has mine during these past three weeks while I have been on a spiritual roller coaster.

Too many times we hide our feelings, our emotions, and our thoughts because we are afraid that people will judge our spiritual tenor if they find out. If we first go to others instead of the Lord, we have gone to the wrong source. God’s Word assures us that He has the answer. My many years of walking with Him assure me of that also. We must evaluate our motives. Is it pride that keeps us from baring our heart, or are we taking our need to our heavenly Father because we know that there is no one who knows just how we feel? Because we are convinced that God has the answers? That God will help us through?

The last three weeks have been different from any that I have ever experienced. My husband has been in the ER three times and has had surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. I stayed with him in the hospital for five nights. My weariness affected my emotions. I knew that my Father was where He always is -- on His Throne, caring for me, aware of my need, and that He would restore me in His own perfect time and way. Each morning I told Him that I was claiming His promise, “As thy day so shall they strength be.” There is a verse on our kitchen door that confronts me every time I go to our garage -- “Be still and know that I am God” Psa. 46:10. That was all I could do and that was all that I needed to do. “Delight thyself in the Lord, and He shall give thee the desire of thine heart” Psa. 37:4 My desire, my desperate need,was joyful peace. In the meantime, I clung to fact, not to feeling. I knew He would restore me in His own perfect time. And He did! Oh, how great is our God! He will restore our soul.  

Why am I telling this to you? Reason: perhaps you need to be restored, encouraged, assured. The nights are dark and long. Your days and night flow into one long muddle. Your bones ache from weariness. Your heart is downcast. You are discouraged and in despair. Don’t allow yourself to stay there. Read the Word whether you understand it or not. Pray to your heavenly Father even if   you feel like it or not. Even if you think He is not listening. He has not left His Throne. He has not forgotten you. He is ready and waiting to work His perfect work in you. Believe His promise that He will never leave you or forsake you. He will restore you to gladness and rejoicing in His own perfect time and way. You will have a new song to sing and a strong testimony of victory that only He can give. Other troubled ones need to hear you.

PRAISE HIM FOR HIS CARING, MIGHTY POWER. HE IS ON HIS THRONE.

P.S. My dear husband is growing stronger each day. Praise the Lord.

HIGH AND LOFTY THOUGHTS

“For thus saith the high and lofty One who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isa. 57:15).

It was while my husband, Robert, and I were missionaries in the Philippines with the China Inland Mission (now Overseas Missionary Fellowship) that we received this letter from our director, J. Oswald Sanders. It is rich and needy today. I want to share it with you.

“This spacious text which expresses the attitudes that are compatible with the greatness of our God, tells us four things about Him. His Transcendence. ‘The high and lofty one.’ What had surprised Isaiah was the elevation of His throne, infinitely higher than any earthly throne. He learned that God is greater than our highest conception of Him, greater than all majesty. ‘He is ABOVE all,’ said John. ‘God OVER all,’ said Paul. His Holiness ‘whose name is Holy’ and His name is His nature. His throne is the blazing centre of all moral purity. His is a holiness that dazzles and blinds and prostrates. Perhaps the reason that we are not dazzled is that cataracts may be growing over the eyes of our soul. His holiness should awe us, and will certainly reveal the tawdriness of our highest attainments in that realm. His crystal purity is in startling contrast to our dinginess. The glory of His absolute holiness, meditated upon and presented to our hearts with power by the Holy Spirit, cannot but make us humble and contrite. His Eternity ‘which inhabiteth eternity’ ‘I fill heaven and earth.’ These claims are infinitely more intelligible to us than to any previous generation -- a universe vast beyond all imagining.

A recent authority wrote: ‘The stars and planets exceed in number all grains of sand on all seashores.’ How insignificant is man! How great is God! Man, a prisoner of time and space. God, the uncreated Master of eternity. His condescension. Our God who is great beyond all imagining, deigns to take up His abode in a humble and contrite heart. ‘God has two thrones,’ said the old Puritan, ‘one in the highest heaven and one in the humblest heart.’ The Infinite condescends to become the intimate, terrible and yet tender. The immensity of His stoop staggers the imagination but warms the heart. Let us love, and sing, and wonder that the Transcendent God who fills eternity makes Himself small enough to fill my heart when it is humble and contrite. ‘Contrite’ means ‘pulverized, shattered’ -- self-reliance broken. ‘Humble’ means that all illusions about self are gone. Are we longing to see God work? He tells us the type through whom He delights to achieve His purposes. ‘TO THIS MAN will I look, even to him that is of a humble and contrite heart, who trembleth at my Word.’ Lord make me a man [woman] like that!

“Why does the high and lofty One dwell in the humble and contrite heart? ‘to restore ... to revive.’ Is this our need? Here is the panacea.”’

Have you been smitten by this Self-portrait and Self-revelation of God before you as I have been? Have you lost yourself in wonder, love, praise, and thanksgiving? Thanks for responding.

Thought #25

Do you ever feel alone?  You don’t have to feel that way.  If you are a believer, Jesus has promised that He will not leave you comfortless. Turn to John 14:18.  His gift to us is comfort.  It may be natural to be sad and lonely, but it is unscriptural.  His love secures His presence to you.  Open your heart, and your mind to His promises.  The Bible is full of them.

Thought #24

Those of us who are in spiritual leadership carry a heavy responsibility.  Whether we lead a Bible study, teach a church school class, or hold a church office, preparation and prayer may mean a sacrifice of pleasure.  “Whatever you do, do all for the glory of God”  I Cor. 10:31.

Thought #23

Conscience -- “God’s deputy of the soul”  Psalm 17:3.   David was not saying he was sinless. He continually strived to develop a closer relationship with God through repentance and forgiveness.

Thought #22

The crisis buffet has a dessert bar -- peace of Christ, power of the Holy Spirit, and presence of God.  “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”