6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
Luke 2:6-7
Dear God, as I read this passage this morning and tried to remember back to the time in the hospital after our son was born, I had one specific memory. I remember holding our son, looking at him, and just wondering how I would mess up. Oh, how I didn’t want to mess up. In those first few moments of his life, I knew they would be the only moments in which I hadn’t made a mistake raising him. But to some extent, I was destined to fail him. I didn’t want to, but I did. I mean, I’m human, right? There is no way to not fail. We have all failed as parents in some way or another. None of us do it all right.
So as Mary and Joseph sat there and looked at their new baby, what must they have been thinking. I’m sure they both felt incredible pressure, knowing who he was. This was God’s son, for crying out loud. Your son! You, incarnate! And they were now responsible for him. How would they raise him? Were they really up to it?
Oh, and they were poor. How would they provide for him? How would they educate him. He was never easier to take care of than when he was in Mary’s womb. But now he was here, and he had to be dealt with. His needs had to be met. What unique needs would he have.
Then there might have been some doubt on Joseph’s part. What was he doing here? Was Mary really telling the truth? Did your angel really appear to him in a dream, or was it just a dream? As Joseph looked around the room they were in, whether it was a stable or a tent, I’m sure he wondered a lot of things. It reminds me of the 4Him song “Strange Way to Save the World.” The chorus:
Why me? I’m just a simple man of trade Why him? With all the rulers in the world Why here? Inside this stable filled with hay Why her? She’s just an ordinary girl I’m not one to second guess what angels have to say But this is such a strange way to save the world
So before the shepherds get here tomorrow, I want to just sit in this uncertainty. The insecurity. I’ve been hearing the phrase “imposter syndrome” a lot lately, and I’m sure Joseph and Mary felt it in that moment. How could they not?
Father, I failed my children in a minimum of hundreds of ways over the last 28 years. My wife did too. And they failed us as well. We fail each other. I’m sorry. I did my best. I know Mary and Joseph did their best as well. Most parents do. But from Adam and Eve through today, we all make mistakes. Give us your grace. And give us grace for each other. Give me grace for my wife and children, and give them your grace for me.
2 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
Luke 2:1-5
Dear God, I like that John Piper paused here before Jesus was born just to spend a little time with Mary and Joseph before Jesus was physically in their presence.
I remember the time before our first son was born. There was so much anticipation. I told my wife over and over again, “I just can’t wait to meet him.” He was so close and yet so far. I can’t imagine what Mary’s and Joseph’s anticipation was like. What would it be like to meet your son? The Messiah? Sure, they didn’t understand the purpose of his incarnation, but they understood who he was. What would he look like? Would he glow? How would they raise him? What were their responsibilities in educating him? So many questions for this young couple.
And then there might have been doubts–at least on Joseph’s part. Did he really hear the angel right? He had been asleep after all. Was it just a dream? Was he being played by Mary? I would have doubted if I had been him.
So they traveled to Bethlehem as a newly married couple and found a place to live for the short-term. Where was that? I have imagined it was a camp for the others like them on the edge of town. They were poor. They probably couldn’t afford regular lodging. Well, we know they couldn’t because we will find out later that while they were there and Joseph tried to find a reasonable place for her to give birth there was nothing available. So they had to use the unreasonable. Their tent with a manger brought in as a crib? Maybe. Maybe it was in a barn, but that seems like a weird choice given their options. Either way, they were solving problems as a couple for the first time. They were ignorant. They had no idea what they had gotten into or what was ahead of them. They just knew they were seemingly part of something extraordinary.
How does this apply to my life? Well, I remember the ignorance of that time in my life. Thinking back on it reminds me that I am still ignorant. I think I know so much, but I don’t. I don’t know what you are doing right now. I look around my life, and I celebrate a lot of it, but there are parts I lament as well. I don’t know how it all fits together. I don’t know what you are doing in my little, insignificant life that is just one of over 6 billion in this world right now. What this story about Mary and Joseph makes me think about this morning is that it was okay that they were ignorant, and it is okay that I am ignorant now. I don’t have to know what is going on. They didn’t either. They just had to be faithful. I just have to be faithful. What is it you have me to do today?
Father, I give this day to you. Love through me. Live through me. Heal me and those I love from our sorrow. Comfort us. Let your truth reign. Bring to light what is hidden so that we might all be healed, and then take that healing and offer it to others who need the healed version of us. But I also want to thank you for how you are not wasting this pain. Thank you for using it to shape me into something that is more humble, compassionate, and loving.
Dear God, I am getting a late start on Advent, but this book (Joy to the World by John Piper) just came in yesterday, so I am going to look at the first three days of it this morning. I want to be very intentional about this Advent season.
Day 1: Luke 1:16-17
11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”
What a good and hopeful prophecy. I wonder how Zechariah would have felt had he known how this would all play out. A son who appeared a little crazy out in the wilderness. Ultimately beheaded. Yes, all of these prophecies came true, but the package and what the eyes would see would certainly have disappointed him and Elizabeth. It would have broken their hearts. I am sure this prophecy from the angel planted visions in their head of how this would look. Perhaps that’s why they were older when this happened. Maybe you didn’t want them to live to see it. Maybe you didn’t want them to accidentally stop it from happening. Perhaps that’s why John didn’t have siblings as well. By the time he was living out this prophecy thirty years from now, there were no immediately family members to get in his way. Perhaps Elizabeth’s barrenness for so long was also calculated. All of the lamenting she did for all of those years about not being able to have a child might just have been a necessary part of your plan. My wife and I were praying about something together just fifteen minutes ago. Something that brings us heartache every day. But maybe this situation is exactly what you need it to be. Maybe our influence on something would get in the way of what you are trying to do. Perhaps you are protecting something from me.
Day 2 Luke 1:46-55
42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. 51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 52 He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. 55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
When I read this passage just now, it reminded me of Hagar and her angel visit in Genesis 16:13: 13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” What it feels like to be seen by you! For Mary, something even more extraordinary is going on. She is coming to terms with what her path forward will be like. With who this baby will be. She probably spent the days between her angel visit and her arrival at Elizabeth’s going over everything in her head. Had she told Joseph already? Had she told anyone? But then, arriving at Elizabeth’s and getting the affirmation that Elizabeth knew what was going on and knew it was good just helped her explode with joy into this song, mixing in a little Psalm 146.
It can be amazing to feel your affirmation. I have to say, I have felt it in several work-related things over the last year. I’ve seen you answer prayers. Even this morning, I was thinking about ow much better something is now than it was in January, and then I realized it was probably you saying, “Yes,” to my prayers. Thank you. Really, Father, thank you!
Day 3: Luke 1:68-71
67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. 69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. 71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. 72 He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— 73 the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. 74 We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.
76 “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
Ironically, it looks like these first three days are all about Luke 1, so I guess it worked out anyway. I realized several years ago that Zechariah actually has the wrong idea about what you are going to do through John and Jesus. He thinks that the physical domination by Rome and others is about to end. But that’s not what you have in mind. John is here. Jesus is coming. But even Zechariah doesn’t really understand what that means.
Father, as I sit here at the beginning of Advent, I find that I really don’t understand any more about what is going on around me than Zechariah did. Than Mary did. So what am I to do? Worship. I am to worship. I am to comfort those who mourn. I am to be gentle and a peacemaker. I am to forgive. I am to trust in you and have faith in you. I am to be your worshipper, and accept that you are God and I am not. Help me to live into what you need me to be.
Emails to God 