It’s been a while again, but time for another thought to ponder. I did this for a part of a three week series and found it to be very applicable to my life recently. There is a term we use a lot this season, and some could argue it’s a term that used quite loosely in our culture. This Blog I want to focus on the idea of Hope. This word is mentioned all throughout Christmas. I hope for a new iPod. I hope that there will snow on Christmas day. I hope that I don’t have to work Christmas Eve. In fact some people even hope that their Parents would be able to be in the same room and get along this Christmas. With all this Hoping going on, I figure it might me a relevant topic to focus on why this is a season of Hope.
Over 2000 years ago there were thousands of young Jewish women who were Hoping that their son would be the Messiah, the Anointed One who would come and save the Israelite people from their bondage under the Romans. In the past, God would send prophets to speak on his behalf, but God had been silent to them now for over 400 years. Mary, known now as Jesus’ mother, was one of those women.
“28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” LUKE 1:28-34
This mighty angel shows up and tells Mary that she is highly favored and that the Lord is with her. Now I’m not here to elaborate on this, but I’m here to look at what happens next. Mary was afraid. We know this cause the angel asks her not to be. What he basically tells her next just blows her mind. He tells her that out of all the women in the past generations, that she is going to give birth to the Son of the Most High. This seems almost foolish. First, Mary will give birth to God’s Son and on top of that, she is still a virgin. Mary questions God, but then is reassured by the word God speaks through the angel next.
“35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” LUKE 1:35
Now at this point if I’m Mary I would most likely begin to think about what could happen through it all. She was betrothed to Joseph, which means she has legally pledged to marry him and she is about to give birth to a Son that is not his. For this, she could be put to death. She’s got to explain this to Joseph! Think about that conversation for a second! Remember, she’s still a virgin! To be honest, I think I would have told God that this was a little more than I was Hoping for. I would have opted out! However, Mary stood firm.
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. LUKE 1:38
So what’s this mean to us today, this year? See I find myself hoping for a lot of things. One thing I hoped for was that I would get this big scholarship for next semester and my financial life for school would be made easy. God had a different plan, He kept the door open for school but just not full time. It’s in times like these that we as people tend to OPT OUT! I was reminded however or Mary’s statement. I’m the Lord’s servant, and as such I will be humble to him.
So this Christmas when you have that one family member that drives you crazy over at your place, simply love on them and hangout with them. When things don’t go to plan, rest in the Lord! Maybe you don’t have as many gifts under the tree this year, place your hope in Him! Remember Beloved, God Already Gave Us The Greatest Gift Of All This Christmas, so celebrate that! It’s time we remember the Reason for the Season. It’s time we place our hope in Christ. The child that was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, and died a brutal painful death that should have been ours. Remember this Christmas that when you place your hope in Jesus, you raise to new life with him!
Merry Christmas Beloved Brothers and Sisters
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