A tremendous and thought provoking video on Christmas in the Dark Places

The Magnificat (Mary’s Song)

Black ~ Mary’s words

Blue ~ My words

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Oh God, help my soul to magnify you.  To make much of you.  My soul.  God you are my Savior.  May our spirits–the very seat of who we are, rejoice in you as our Savior.

48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

You looked upon sweet, humble Mary–what did you see in her God?  What was present in her soul that caused you to choose this young maiden to be the mother of God?  How she must have been frightened, yet she trusted you in a way that I don’t think I could.  She knew something great-something beyond her-was occurring.  And here we are, generations later, calling her blessed.  Blessed to hold the tiny newborn King, the Son of God, dependent on her for life, when later she would be dependent on Him for salvation.

49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

You are mighty God.  You did great things for Mary, and you have done great things for us.  Holy is your name, above all other names.  I don’t think we take the time to really consider that you are Holy–relational, yes; but above all Holy and to be revered with awe, wonder and worship.

50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

They were looking for a “Savior” who would overthrow Rome.  They didn’t know that their real need was for a Savior who would forgive the sins of all of the world, from generation to generation.  Even to today.  Even to this very night.  Mary saw this; she saw this and she knew that His great mercy was for all who feared Him.  Do we fear Him today?  Or do we “use” him today in our traditions and rituals, without honoring Him for who He is?

51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

God is strength.  We see it throughout the Old Testament.  We see it throughout the New Testament.  He is strength and He is OUR strength.  Oh, my pride–may He scatter it from my heart, for my pride is a sin that incorporates a multitude of sins.

52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;

Jesus came to shake up the world order.  What is mighty has been humbled, and what is humbled will be exalted.  We can not take this too lightly.  I fear we do not truly understand this principle, nor how can we when our own hearts are full of such pride?

53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has filled the hungry with the good things.  Food?  Yes, but oh, so much more than that.  The good things of joy, of peace, of song and laughter, of knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Can the rich understand these things?  The simple pleasures of real joy?

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.”

God remembered Israel.  He remembered Israel.  This remembrance came out of his great mercy for them.  Oh, how great is his grace and mercy.  What was spoken to the fathers–Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their offsprings, was never forgotten.  Prophecy was fulfilled in the form of this tiny baby that Mary held in her womb.

The Son of God

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

Oh, God, help me to be like Mary.  Help me to treasure up all these things—the fact that your great mercy and grace is the vehicle for our salvation and forgiveness of my grievous sins.  The fact that you came to earth to be clothed in flesh and to live among us, knowing that you would die for our sins so that we could live with you eternally.  God, at Christmas time, as we worship the newborn King, help us each to treasure up all these things.

God help me to ponder them in my heart; in my soul; in my very being.

The countdown to Christmas is on.  Everyone I’ve talked to is beyond busy with programs, parties and deadlines.  The Duffer crew is facing one band concert, two choral concerts and 4 nights dedicated to the church musical this week.  Much needs to be done for work, and, like you I’m sure, our calendar is bulging.

I’m finding this Christmas season to be more difficult than the past few.  It seems that I just can’t get motivated or excited about Christmas.  It’s not that I’m not looking forward to the time off with my crew.  It’s not that I’m not thankful—I’m incredibly so.  It’s not that I’m worried that my crew won’t have a good Christmas–they will, plus they are getting to the age where that is not nearly as important to them as spending time together is, which is a very nice age to be at.

No, I think the reason I am finding this season to be more difficult is that I’m struggling in my mind with doubt and despair.  I find myself leaning toward cynicism.  Toward critique, not acceptance of what I know must be truth.

We all battle doubt from time to time, I know we do.  I don’t think there is anyone that I’ve talked to about the subject that, if they’ve been completely honest, hasn’t struggled with doubt from time to time.  What bothers me about this doubt at this time is it’s proximity to Christmas, a time of year that I love to celebrate and to remember Christ’s birth.

I took some extra time this morning to do some scripture work on doubt, in hopes that it would help to kick me out of this frame of mind.  It definitely helped, though I still have a ways to go and more work to do.  One thing I do know about doubt from experience:  it must be fought.  It can not be allowed to lay there smoldering.

I remember one time when my ex-husband dumped some coal and ashes that he was certain were out in the forest next to the parsonage.  An entire day later, he began to smell smoke coming from the forest.  When he went to investigate, he found a small but quickly growing fire.  Those ashes had been smoldering for 24 or so hours…and had turned into a fire that was not easy to put out.  Fortunately, somehow he managed to get it put out.  But had it been left alone, it could have taken out the entire forest along with our house!

The same is with doubt.  It can not be allowed to smolder.  It must be attacked and “put out”.  The only way I know how to do this is through scripture work and prayer.  One of the verses I worked on and wrote about this morning was James 1:6–

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

There are things that I believe I have asked God for in faith, yet he has been terribly silent on them.  We are to ask in faith with no doubting, according to James.  I love the description of the one who doubts:  he “is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”  And when I read that I want to shout “YES!  That’s exactly what doubting is like!  It’s exactly what my mind and my soul does when I doubt…it tosses to and fro like the wave of a sea.”  And honestly, I’m getting a little bit seasick.

Another passage I studied this morning was Proverbs 3:5-8:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

Here’s where I get into trouble……I trust God, but maybe not with my whole heart.  Maybe I lean too much on my own understanding.  I’m inquisitive.  I want to know the “why” behind things.  When I read something in scripture, I often find myself wanting more information about it than what God had put into scripture and it frustrates me.  And I am so arrogant; I often think I am wise in my own eyes.  All of this goes against this passage in Proverbs.  One would think that by now, with all the evidence I have, I would be able to trust God with all of my heart and not doubt!!  But I still run into doubt, and run into it hard.  Why is that?  What is behind that?  What’s behind it for you, when you are facing doubt?  And fear?

I think, for me, doubting is my comfort zone.  And when things get hard, when I am hurting, when I am afraid, I run to my comfort zone of intellectual and spiritual doubt, like one runs to a favorite blanket.  I get there and declare myself safe.  I get there and declare myself sane.  I get there and declare that I can handle this on my own; that I don’t need to trust God.

But that often ends in disaster.  I know this.  So why do I keep doing it?  I don’t know, but here I am, with my favorite blanket, once again.

In doing some research on doubt, I found this bit of a hymn, written by Lucy Bennett.  It struck a chord in my soul.  I quickly memorized it, and would like to share it with you, particularly if you find yourself doubting and struggling to trust God in whatever circumstances you are standing in:

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,
Trust Him when thy strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
Seems the hardest thing of all.

That’s where I’m at today, where I find myself as we march toward Christmas.  As I plan a trip to the prison before Christmas for our entire family.  As I hurt over an unresolved issue.  The doubts are dark, my strength is small.

But I must fight, and you must fight, to simply trust Him even though to do so seems to be the hardest thing of all.

 

Today is the second Sunday of Advent.  This is the day that we focus on Peace–the peace that God brought to the earth in the form of a little baby who would bring salvation.

Earlier as I was preparing for our family Advent time tonight, I realized I’ve not been very peaceful the last few days.  I’ve been stirred up over a heartbreaking issue and letting it rob my joy and my peace.  I think that’s something we all do at one time or another.  I know it is.  But I’ve been particularly guilty of it these past couple of days.

What is peace as it relates to the Christmas story?

In Luke 2, we have the Christmas narrative of Christ’s birth.  We learn of the shepherd’s being visited by the angels–can you imagine?  Out in the fields.  Watching the sheep.  In the quiet of the night.  When suddenly the “glory of the Lord shone all around them.”  We tend to make this a peaceful scene, but at first it certainly was not peaceful to the shepherds!  No, it was terrifying!  Never had they seen anything like this before!  Scripture says they were “filled with great fear”.

But it’s interesting what one of the angels says to the shepherds:

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Fear not?  Fear not?  Of course they were afraid!  But these creatures, unseen by the shepherds before, were there to bring them good news……a Savior had been born:  Christ the Lord!  And they could find this Savior as a baby lying in a manger.

Why the shepherds?  Have you ever thought about that?  Unassuming, low caste shepherds are the ones who first received the news that the birth of Jesus had occurred–Jesus the Messiah.  What does that mean for you and I?  It’s a question I look forward to asking my crew tonight.

The angels then broke into praise, saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Glory to God in the highest……and on earth, peace among those with whom He is pleased.  Peace.

What does this peace look like?

I believe this definition best fits this peace:  a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations:

Mutual harmony, especially in personal relationships.  Our God is a relational God.  We are a sinful people.  Through Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection, peace can be achieved between man and God.  True peace.  Real peace.

And peace can be granted between people and groups of people, among those with whom he is pleased.  But how do we please God?  Another question I look forward to hearing my crew answer tonight.

I don’t know about you, but I crave peace in my life.  Quiet.  Calmness.  In my soul and in my mind.  But that peace can only come from God.  I desire peace amongst my relationships with my crew and with others.  I desire to see peace in this weary world.   I want to please God.  I want to be one who pleases God.

This morning as I sang “Breath of Heaven”, there is a line of the song that says “Be with me now”.  And “Help me be strong.  Help me be.  Help me.”  And that is where I am tonight.  God help me be strong.  Be with me now.  Grant me peace where peace is lacking.  How I long for that peace!  Breath of Heaven, Hold me together…..how Mary must have yearned for peace!  How often have I made this cry to my God:  “Hold me together!”  “Be forever near me!”  When I’ve felt my peace shattered into a million pieces?

My friends, I wish for you that peace this season.  Sitting in Sunday School this morning and sharing intimately, it’s just so obvious that many are not at peace.  They do not know my God as their Savior.  Or the circumstances of their lives right now are creating chaos, not peace.

My Jesus, you came to this earth to bring a different kind of peace than what was expected.  You did not bring political peace, you brought personal peace.  A much more important peace.  We pray that you will continue to grant that peace to our troubled minds and souls.  That we will know this Christmas season a more profound peace than we have ever known–in ourselves, in our relationship to you, and our relationships with others.  Your love is what we need.  Your love is what we seek.  Amen and Amen.