·

On the Ninth Day of Christmas

My TRUE LOVE gave to me…BECAUSE.

My honey and I watched the final episode of The Red Tent last night. We loved it. We were a bit caught off guard by the graphic violence and even a few steamy love scenes. I’m not sure why. We are often caught off guard by those even in what we think will be the safest movies. In this case, all was tasteful and very realistic. Life is steamy. Life is messy.

On Sunday night, we had watched The Women of the Bible. Honestly, when the TV turned off my brain turned on. My reflection was stirred by that movie. By those women. By their faith and their hope. Oh my. I have studied, and am in fact studying now, the women of God’s Word. Being the visual person that I am, I love seeing these women come to life on the screen. It was a special treat to have women I admire like Christine Cain, Joyce Meyer and Priscilla Shirer narrate and share their own fresh reflection upon the revisit into the lives of well know “mothers” of our faith.

I was especially stirred by the movies depiction of Mary. Obviously, in the midst of the Christmas season. She is often on my mind. Her life is remembered, just as God promised, in song, in stories, in scripture.

Christmas FB banner

I hope you are reading Mary’s story in a fresh way this season. I encourage you–settle for nothing less than a fresh look at this woman. Read her story today from the Bible in Luke 1-2. Consider how many times Mary had to say YES to God. How many times she had to trust Him regardless of her circumstances. She endured shame and ridicule, she endured the walk of nursing and changing diapers, learning to walk, talk and tickle–mothering—knowing a day would come when the heartbreak of her soul would be so deep imagining survival was not only unthinkable-it was undesired. You tell me–what Mother would even WANT to live after watching her beloved son be tortured and beaten and spit upon. To watch the skin of his feet, once kissed and snuggled, drag away from rusty nails as he sank to his final surrender. To watch her boy ask of God—“Why have you forsaken me”. Although it is not in scripture–I can only imagine that same question resonating in the heart of that broken Mother.

Last night, I enjoyed a sweet dinner gathering with 4 girlfriends. We call ourselves “besties”. Each one has at least one area of “wonder” at what God might be doing, and maybe even “Why?”. Each one has some life struggle that causes us to need one another. To pray. To hope.

It brings another famous mothering phrase to mind–

“Because I said so” 🙂

That well known, possibly spoken, statement requires obedience and trust. Just to do something because someone “said so”.

In our flesh, our humanness, we often wonder “Why God?” What purpose does this pain serve? What good is this sadness, challenge, loss, wrongful treatment?

“Because He said so”

He says we are to trust only in Him with all of our hearts, all of our minds and all of our strength.

This morning, as I was doing my own heart “pondering” over Mary’s story–I focused on some of my favorite verses of the story–

“I am the Lords servant”, Mary answered, “May it be to me as you have said”.  Luke 1:38

That sounds great right?!! However, those brave words were followed by:

Then the angel left her.

Period. End of sentence.

5 short words.

33 short years.

Mary had to step out from those holy moments and just do life. Life without voices. Life without step by step instructions. Messy life. Steamy life. Lovely life. Lonely life. Family life.

She had to endure the shame of an unwed pregnancy. She had to get married. She had to ride a donkey in her 40th week of pregnancy. She had to give birth in a dirty stable. She had to have perfect, scary strangers drop in before things even got cleaned up. She had to give her life to love a child. She had to watch him walk away to his destiny. She had to prompt him to help at a wedding party. She had to follow his trail of blood up a hill. She had to look up past his dirty tear stained face into the silent heavens, she had to hold his dirty bloody feet and bury him in an empty tomb.

All “Because HE said so”.

Is Mary’s story fresh to you this Christmas Season?

I would love to hear your favorite verse from Luke Chapters 1 and 2 and I would LOVE to see you win a new Kindle to be reading the story from next year 🙂

xoxo

Pat

 

Similar Posts

8 Comments

  1. I love Mary’s words in her Song of Praise, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47)

  2. Good morning,
    One of my favorite verses out of Luke 1 and 2 occurs after the shepherds run to find out what is this thing that has happened in Bethlehem. (As told to them by a sky full of angels!) They are led to Jesus and tell Joseph and Mary everything they have heard about Him. Mary treasures these things in her heart so she can ponder them. I relate to the young first time mother who studies her child intensely and tucks away what God has revealed. Can you imagine hearing, “The entire sky filled with glorious angels praising God and this is what they told us about your son.” And she tucked that away in her heart so she could pull it out when life went crazy. Her Father made sure she would always know her son was His Son. I love this. Kristi

    1. Honestly Kristi–I never read those words of Mary without connecting to them. My deepest hearts desire is to PONDER everything the Lord gives me in my heart for His nourishment and growth!
      Hugs girl!
      Pat

  3. 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

    She didn’t question it. She knew it was from the Lord and she would serve her Lord whatever way he asked of her. If only I could be so obedient!

  4. Luke 1:30 hit home with me. It reminded me of what God said about David. Then how quick Mary was to believe, faith.

  5. Luke 1:45 speaks so loudly. The promise to hold onto when life is hard. It is hard for me now but I know what He spoke will be fulfilled. He is faithful to His promises.

Leave a Reply to Darlene Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *