This time last year I was going through a really hard time spiritually due to relational issues and some family struggles. I found myself on Christmas morning saddened how I had just wasted the entire month of December. Not once did I prepare myself for Christmas. Sure I went out and bought presents, but did I ever once reflect on what God wanted me to receive from Him as the Christmas season approached? Not at all. Well, I decided I wasn't going to make that same mistake again. I found this awesome free online Advent Calendar (thanks to Sarah Smith) that I've been going through. Huge shout out to John Piper for offering a free Advent Devotional e-book that couldn't have been cheaper or more easily accessible for this broke college girl. :)
Good News of Great Joy by John Piper
Although I'm only 6 days into it, I have benefited from it so much. Yesterday's spoke so much to me. John Piper asks the question "Now you would think that if God so rules the world as to use an empire-wide census to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, he surely could have seen to it that a room was available in the inn." It's funny, I've thought about this question before and it always helps me to remember that Christ was a humble servant.
He came into this world humble- The King of Kings being born in a manger.
He walked this Earth humble- hanging out with sinners and proclaiming the Good News about his Father and always giving God the glory.
He left this Earth practicing humility- being crucified like a criminal between two guilty people while he was pure and blameless.
So remembering Christ's humility when you're reading through the Christmas story really puts it into perspective for you. And just think how humble and obedient Mary was. Although she can't compare to her Son (because he WAS sinless,) she did a great job following God's calling for her life. Okay, put yourself in Mary's shoes for a second. Your like what, 14 or 15 years old? Virgin. Engaged to the man you love. You can't imagine your life to possibly get any better than this. And then one day, an angel appears before you and claims you are pregnant with the Holy Spirit. Joseph wants a divorce because he probably thinks you cheated on him. (Matt 1:19) Trusting in God is your only option at this point. Your life went from ordinary to extraordinary in a matter of days. An angel appears to Joseph and tells him the good news that it is truly indeed the Savior she is pregnant with. After much prayer, your husband agrees to raise this child with you and believes it is from The Lord. A decree goes out for a Census (which hasn't happened before in your lifetime.) This king hears about your son and plans to kill him and all the other male children just so he can continue to be the most powerful. So now, you're nine months pregnant, extremely uncomfortable, and fearing your sons life so you run away to Bethlehem with your husband on a donkey. Riding on the back of a donkey is uncomfortable even when you're not 9 months pregnant. The stress probably puts you into labor (okay the bible doesn't actually say that but I'm sure it had something to do with it,) and you go to this inn hoping you can get a room to deliver this child. You're in fear, you're in shock, and you're in pain. a lot of pain. There are no rooms in the inn, but the inn keeper lets you use his stable which smells like horse manure. How kind of him, right? (remember Christ's humility?) You give birth to a son and name him Jesus for He will be "great and will be called the Son of the Most High." (Luke 1:32) Many people come and adore this child because they know he is truly the Savior. You are in awe of the work God has done and the work He will continue to do in this Son's life!
I mean I can't help but wonder if Mary thought to herself "Lord, why me?" I ask God that question all the time when God puts me on new paths or gives me new missions to accomplish I don't feel called or able to do, and they don't even compare to the work Mary did for God. In the Protestant Christian faith (that is, not Catholic) we do not worship Mary. We don't even pray to her. But, we do value her as a Godly woman of God who willingly gave her life as an offering to God. I mean think about it, she probably had great plans for her life that possibly got changed because of this. But, God had better plans for her. Better plans than she ever could have imagined. She gave birth to our Savior! I love reading the Christmas story because it shows God fulfilling His promise from all the way back to the Old Testament. But, I also love reading the story from Mary's perspective and seeing how she just obeyed God. She wasn't sinless and I'm sure she had doubts about it, but she not only listened to God; she obeyed him. She submitted her life to Him admitting the fact that she was on this Earth for God not for herself. Oh, Lord it is my prayer that I will have the obedience and wiliness to submit to Your plans like Mary did!
Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
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