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Category Archives: Luke

Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 3)

20 Apr

And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy. His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him. He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.
Luke 1:46-55

Dear God, it’s been right at nine years that my wife and I have been going to a Catholic church, and while I am still not Catholic, I have read the Magnificat many many times. But I don’t know that I’ve ever really taken these words that are attributed to Mary and looked at them from her perspective. What were the experiences and emotions that propelled these words out of her mouth? What insights was she having with you that we now get to see 2,000 years later?

To set the context, Mary has just arrived at Elizabeth’s after finding out she is pregnant. We don’t know if she has told anyone else yet. We don’t know if anyone knows. But when she walked in the door, Elizabeth gave her all of the affirmation she needed, and Mary just seems to explode with these words.

  • My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior: This is just flat out worship. Recognizing who you are first and foremost. Her soul magnifies you and her spirit rejoices in you.
  • Because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant: She is in awe of you noticing her and counting her as worthy of this honor. She has probably always felt like her life would be limited and humble from beginning to end.
  • Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy: She’s already had some time since Gabriel visited, perhaps on her journey, to think about her place in history. If what he said is true, then she will be known as the mother of the Messiah for eternity. She had no idea how this would play out, but in her mind she was aware enough to know that this would elevate her to a place in history that women of the time simply never would achieve.
  • His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him: She knows a savior is coming. Like Zechariah, she probably has the wrong idea about what that savior will look like, but she knows that those who hear you are within your mercy through the generations.
  • He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly: Again, she probably thinks Jesus is coming to topple Rome. She likely thinks her new baby will bring about Israel’s freedom from the rule of Rome or any other country. The new paradigm that Jesus will bring probably never occurred to her.
  • He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty: I would imagine when you are poor and oppressed there are two main things that hit your radar: hunger and shelter. In her mind, this seems to be an outreach to the poor as well. After all, she is poor. Will the Messiah lift up and provide for the poor as well? Will he topple the wealthy? That seems to make sense to her, but that’s not necessarily the way you work.
  • He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors: She thinks revolution is coming. Just like Zechariah doesn’t have it completely right, Mary doesn’t yet appreciate that Jesus came for the gentiles too.

Father, what I see here is a young woman figuring things out much like the rest of us do. She is worshiping you, but without perfect knowledge. But that’s okay. You’ll take it anyway because you know her heart is pure in it. She will learn over the years. She will become disillusioned much like I have. And I still have a long way to go. I don’t understand what you are doing in my life or the lives of my wife and children. But I’m here to worship you. I give you my worship and my praise.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 20, 2020 in Luke, Mothers of the Bible

 

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Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Mother of Jesus (Part 2)

18 Apr

In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”
Luke 1:39-45

Dear God, I can only imagine the buyer’s remorse Mary felt when after Gabriel left her. It’s easy to say yes in the moment, but then reality starts to set in:

  • What will my parents say?
  • What will Joseph say?
  • What will my friends and the community say?
  • Will Joseph break off the engagement?
  • Who will ever believe me?
  • Will the town stone me?
  • How am I going to raise this baby?
  • Who will this baby turn out to be?
  • How can I be the person chosen to do this?
  • Did I just imagine this whole thing? Am I really pregnant?
  • This isn’t how I thought my life would go at all!

So she naturally set out to see Elizabeth since Gabriel told her in verse 36 that she is pregnant too. Maybe she will understand.

So I’m sure all of these thoughts (and more) were running through her mind as she went to see Elizabeth. Perhaps she hoped Elizabeth and Zechariah would help her with her parents. But the big thing happened as soon as she showed up, and it the thing I mentioned back when I talked about Joseph and the shepherds showing up in the stable: affirmation! As soon as she got there she never had to tell Elizabeth anything. Elizabeth just spontaneously told her, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside of me. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken in her!”

Mary had to have thought, Oh, thank goodness I don’t have to justify anything to you. I can just tell you my story and you’ll believe me. I’m sure Zechariah and Elizabeth had had a lot of written conversations about what Gabriel had told him and now the puzzle was starting to make sense to them. I want to spend some time tomorrow breaking down Mary’s response to this, so I’ll do the Magnificat later. Right now, I want to just sit with the relief. The anxiety and then the way you alleviated her fears.

I guess one last thing here. I think it’s interesting that Matthew gives us Gabriel’s visit to Joseph and Luke gives us his visit to Mary. Neither book gives both. Thank you for giving us both of these gospels.

Father, thank you for the little affirmations you give to me. There are times when I have great anxiety, but you are faithful to me and you are always there to comfort me. I don’t always come to you for that comfort. Sometimes I am sinful and try to assuage my anxiety with self-indulgence. But when I come to you, you comfort me. You will send me signs and wonders. You will meet a need in a miraculous way. You are good. I am truly sorry for the times when I am only looking for distractions to ease my fear instead of looking to you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 18, 2020 in Luke, Mothers of the Bible

 

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Mothers of the Bible — Mary, Jesus’s Mother (Part 1)

16 Apr

Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”

35 The angel replied to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

Dear God, it is one thing to be Joseph and Jesus’s “step-father,” if you will. It’s another thing to be his actual mother. Flesh of her flesh. What an amazing thing for her in a physiological, psychological sense. This child was part of her and was partly her. Her DNA was in there along with yours. It add whole layer to what Joseph experienced. I’m sure it meant just that much more to her than to him, although I know it meant a lot to him too.

I think it’s interesting that Mary gets a little more latitude from the angel than Zechariah did. Zechariah asked in Luke 1:18, “How can I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Mary asks in Luke 1:36, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” Those questions don’t appear that different to me given each circumstance. But where Gabriel is a little harsh with Zechariah, he is gentle with Mary. I have a feeling that each actually got what they needed to prepare them for their journey. Zechariah probably needed those months (almost a year?) in silence to contemplate, study, and prepare himself to raise John the Baptist. Mary, on the other hand, needed the encouragement of Elizabeth. She needed to be able to communicate freely with Joseph. And she was just a young woman whereas Zechariah was older. Mary deserved a little more guidance.

With all of that said, that’s not what hit me when I first read this passage this morning. What hit me is the idea that none of us know what we are getting into when we become parents. We can think we are ready, but we aren’t. We can think we do have or don’t have enough money, but we are wrong. We can think we know what we are doing, but we have no idea. Even on the second or third child, we aren’t prepared like we would like to be. In her case, Mary had no idea what she was saying yes to. If she had, would she have done it? Would she have signed up for giving birth in a stable, moving to Egypt, moving back to Nazareth, losing Jesus when he was 12, watching a ministry from him that would lead to his crucifixion, and then going through the resurrection and the ascension? She lost her son at 33. Yes, he rose again, but he was still gone 40 days later. I’m sure this was not how she planned it out as she visited with Elizabeth or traveled to Bethlehem with Joseph.

Father, I still don’t know what being the father of my children really means, and they are in their 20s now. I don’t know what they need from me today, and I have no clue what they will need tomorrow. don’t even know how much longer they will have me on this earth, nor do I know how much longer I’ll have them. But I know that in this moment right now, I need to simply be your servant. I need to be your worshiper. I need you to flow through me and touch the world through me. And I need to simply rest in the knowledge that you know what my children need more than I do and you will be responsible for giving it to them. Much like Mary didn’t understand what was happening with Jesus’s life most of the time, I have no idea either. Help me to use that ignorance to my advantage and to build my faith in and worship of you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on April 16, 2020 in Luke, Mothers of the Bible

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Joseph, Jesus’s Earthly Father (Part 9)

15 Apr

46 After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.
Luke 2:46-52

Dear God, I want to look at the emotions used to describe Mary and Joseph in this passage:

  • Astonished (verse 48)
  • Anxious (verse 48)
  • Confused (verse 50–“But they did not understand…”)

I know there have been times when I’ve been angry with my kids and ready to let them have it. So many times, however, I found that they had an explanation for what they had done that made perfect sense from their perspective. They weren’t being rebellious. They weren’t being defiant. They were just doing what they thought was right.

In this story, I can only imagine the fear and anxiety both Mary and Joseph felt. Who would have guessed that the boy was in the temple, holding court? I wonder if a younger Caiaphas was there too. How about a younger Nicodemus? No matter. The people who were there were “astounded” (verse 47) by his questions. It probably doesn’t get enough attention that Jesus isn’t portrayed as sitting there and giving a bunch of answers. He’s portrayed as asking amazing, insightful questions. He obviously had a lot on his mind that he was figuring out and now he had an opportunity to be in the temple in Jerusalem to access the people who were supposed to know the answers. Of course it was necessary for him to be in his Father’s house!

It’s clear that Mary and Joseph had no idea how to raise this particular boy. His needs didn’t fit into any particular paradigm. I wonder how inadequate Joseph felt around him when it came to these types of questions I’m sure he asked at home as well as in the temple. I wonder what kinds of conversations Mary and Joseph would have about Jesus when they were by themselves. Or even what kinds of conversations Joseph would have with his friends who knew Jesus.

Father, I know I have certainly felt over my head when parenting my children through the years. I’m sure Joseph felt that much more so. He must have continuously wondered, “Am I enough for this boy? Am I adequate to raise God’s son?” I’m sure that this responsibility deepened his own prayer life and his own relationship with you. How could it not have? Help me to follow this example and to sink deeper into you as I continue to pray for my children and that you will give them what you need them to have from me, my wife, and those around them.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on April 15, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, Luke

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Joseph, Jesus’s Earthly Father (Part 8)

13 Apr

Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming he was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
Luke 2:41-45

Before we get to the part where they find Jesus, let’s just sit with Joseph and Mary for these couple of days when Jesus is lost. After all these years. After the angel visits/warnings. After the flight to Egypt. After returning tentatively to Galilee and Nazareth. Now, thinking that everything had calmed down, Jesus was lost! I’m sure they must have had other kids by now. Did they take those kids with them or did they let them go back to Nazareth with the friends and relatives? But forget that for a moment. Jesus was lost!

As they traveled, slept at night (which I’m sure was fitful sleep at best), what were their conversations with each other like? What were their prayers to you like? Were they repenting to you for not keeping a closer eye on him? Were they beseeching you for his safety? Were they trying to figure out where to even start looking for him? Were they afraid that he had been finally found by whomever the king was at the time and killed?

Being a father (and mother) is rife with moments like this, although maybe not to this level since Joseph knew this boy was your son. You know you’ve messed up. You know that you’ve done the wrong thing for your child. You know they are in danger and you didn’t adequately protect them. You are scared for them. It can all be overwhelming.

And as a child you never really appreciate what your parent is experiencing. I’m at a point in my parenting now that my children are childless adults that I know there are certain things they just won’t get until they are parents themselves. And being parents will give them deeper insights into you and into my wife and me. Sometimes experience is the only thing that can teach us. In this case, Jesus was about to learn a lesson in how to bless his parents.

Father, help me to be at peace with my parenting mistakes. Help me to extend grace to my children now. Help me to reach out and love you as my own father. As much as I’m able, I truly appreciate what you do for me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 13, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, Luke

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Joseph, Jesus’s Earthly Father (Part 5)

08 Apr

8 In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: 11 Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to people he favors!

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.

21 When the eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus—the name given by the angel before he was conceived. 22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord) 24 and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons).

25 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said,

29 Now, Master,
you can dismiss your servant in peace,
as you promised.
30 For my eyes have seen your salvation.
31 You have prepared it
in the presence of all peoples—
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and glory to your people Israel.

33 His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed — 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Luke 2:8-35

Dear God, when last we left off with Joseph he was sitting in a stable with his fiance and their new child. He was in the middle of some very weird circumstances. How was he to believe any of this? Surely that dream must have been a mistake. Surely he shouldn’t have agreed to take Mary as his wife. There had to have been doubts.

Then you accomplished two things at once. Well, actually several things at once. You sent him and Mary some shepherds with an amazing story. What a great affirmation!! They didn’t only tell Joseph and Mary that God had told them about the baby. They told the new parents that the angel had told them where to find them. They weren’t alone! You knew exactly where they were. In the moments before the shepherds arrived, Mary and Joseph might have felt alone and scared, but what an amazing encouragement this must have been to them.

The reason I say this accomplished several things at once is because I am sure this forever changed those shepherds’ lives too. You were just showing up and encouraging all kinds of people on that holy night.

Then you sent them more encouragement. Simeon. I know this was a big deal because of verse 33: His father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. I’m sure the emotional roller coaster of the last several months must have worn them out. Joseph alone when from feeling betrayed by Mary, to relieved after the angel visit, to overwhelmed in a manger, to encouraged by the shepherds, to left in wonder by Simeon. Anna, would come along in a bit and have something to say too.

As I go through my own little roller coaster now, I am reminded that you are the constant. As I type this, our world is in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. People are dying. People are scared. People have lost jobs. Domestic violence is increasing. At the same time, neighbors are reaching out to neighbors and loving on each other. People are looking for ways to get back together as the church. And on a personal level, you have brought me different encouragements along the way. Encouraging phone calls. Encouraging donations.

Father, help me to stay in the middle of your presence and not swing too wide in enthusiasm or despair. Help me to see all of this with your eyes. Of course, I will never be able to know what you know–nor should I be able to–but I can surely see in the moment at least a little of what you see. Give me the serenity, the courage and the wisdom I need to get through this day.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on April 8, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, Luke

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Joseph, Jesus’s Earthly Father (Part 4)

07 Apr

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke 2:1-7

Dear God, it seems that this just wasn’t going well at all. I mean, Joseph said yes to the angel in the dream. He did his duty and went to Bethlehem. And he took his pregnant fiance with him. They were probably camping outside of town when “the time came for the baby to be born.” What to do? Where to go? “No guest room [was] available for them.” So there they sat. I’m sure they had had some amazing conversations leading up to this moment. How they must have talked, wondered, and dreamed! Can you believe this is happening? The Messiah is coming! And now, here they are, sitting in a barn-like area, all alone with their new baby.

I’ve used it here before, but the words to the 4 Him Christmas song, “Strange Way to Save the World” come to mind: “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? Now I’m not one to second guess what angels have to say, but this is such a strange way to save the world.”

Did he have doubts in this moment? Did he start to wonder about his dream? Did he start to doubt Mary? This was not the path of least resistance for him. What will happen next?

Father, I’ll get to what happens next tomorrow because what happens next deserves its own time. Right now, as I sit here in the midst of a pandemic that no one really knows how to respond to, I want to relate to Joseph a little. Mary too, but she’ll get her time in these journals. Right now, this is about a man with responsibilities trying to figure out the right thing to do. He’s trying to love his fiance, care for a new son that isn’t his, all while living up to his duty as a citizen. In that moment, he had to be talking to you and maybe even doubting. After all this was an awfully strange way to save the world.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 

 
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Posted by on April 7, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, Luke, Uncategorized

 

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Fathers of the Bible — Joseph, Jesus’s Earthly Father (Part 2)

02 Apr

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25

Dear God, there is so much here. In fact, I could just stop at verses 18 and 19. In fact, I just might. I think it’s good to sit with Joseph in the moment of verse 19 for a while.

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

What are the range of emotions this man must have experienced?

  • Anger
  • Betrayal
  • Confusion
  • Hate
  • Love
  • Compassion
  • Mercy

What’s impressive to me is the last half of the list triumphed over the first half of the list. In fact, I would never have suspected him experiencing love, compassion, or mercy except that he lived out those three emotions through his actions.

As a dad, a husband, and in many other parts of my life, I have been betrayed, and I have not allowed love, compassion, and mercy triumph over anger, betrayal, confusion, and hate. I have avenged myself. I’ve struck back. I have betrayed in return. I’ve done it all. Sure, sometimes I’ve done it right, but in light of what Joseph did here all I can remember at the moment are my failures.

So what would deciding to divorce her quietly cost him? What would mercy, compassion, and love cost him? In the midst of his pain, he not only chose to show her mercy, but he actually put a lot at risk as well.

  • Reputation: If she were to have just been sent on her way, it could have been said of him that he had gotten her pregnant. Even if she moved to live with Elizabeth, rumors would have flown around town. How would that have impacted his future earnings as a carpenter? His future marriage or ability to marry? His standing in the temple?
  • Money: As I mentioned above, this could impact people’s willingness to do business with him. Would they see him as a barbarian who got Mary pregnant and then refused to do the right thing?
  • Marriage: It could have impacted his ability to court and marry another woman. Who would trust him now?
  • Temple: He would potentially never be respected and given any responsibilities as an upstanding member in the community.

And what would have happened if he hadn’t decided to divorce her quietly? What if he had allowed the instincts I would have followed to rule the day? What if he gave in to the anger, betrayal, confusion and hate? Well, the simple answer is that he could have gotten Mary and her unborn baby killed. You needed him to be the man he was for your plan to work. And you knew him. I’m curious that his angel visit came after he learned she was pregnant. Without that order in things, we would never have known this much about Joseph’s character.

Father, thank you that you create people like this in the world. Thank you that you created Joseph and prepared him for such a time as this. I’m sorry for him that his earthly life wasn’t easy. In fact, it was decidedly harder because of his obedience to you. It seems unfair, but none of this has to be fair. It’s not about us. It’s not about Joseph–he probably would have been the first one to say that given his response to Mary’s pregnancy. And it’s not about me either, although I’m not always the first one to say that. It’s all about you. Help me to live into that knowledge with my whole heart and not just my head.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 2, 2020 in Fathers of the Bible, Luke

 

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Mothers of the Bible — Elizabeth (Part 2)

21 Mar

When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
Luke 1:57-80

Dear God, there are several parts of this story and Elizabeth’s experience I want to look at.

And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony.

First, the friends and relatives were excited for her and they were giving glory to you for this wonderful thing. What a great time! And then for them to all gather at the bris to celebrate must have been such a joyous occasion. And I am sure this made Elizabeth’s day. I can’t imagine the years and years (decades and decades?) of disappointment. The seeming fruitlessness of her life. And now she had a baby and she got to celebrate with her friends and family. A mother’s heart just full of celebration and thankfulness!

They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him.

Uh oh. Now she is going to have some conflict. This is her baby and they are telling her what to do. How did this make her feel as she held her child and the others were telling her she was doing it wrong? And then they decided that what really mattered was Zechariah and his opinion. Of course, Zechariah had already told her that Gabriel said they should name the boy John, so he will go on to confirm what she said. It just must have taken a little bit of luster off of the moment. Isn’t it interesting when others try to insert themselves into our lives with unsolicited advice? Then again, how often do I do that?

He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

I love how “awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.” Not just their friends and neighbors, but everyone knew that this child was special–a literal miracle baby–and that there was a prophecy about him. Of course, it’s only natural for them to ask themselves, “What will this child turn out to be?”

So how hard was it to raise John the Baptist (JTB) in this environment. Whereas Mary and Joseph pretty much got to raise Jesus without too many people knowing about the prophecy (this is an assumption on my part), JTB started about a celebrity. How much unsolicited advice did Elizabeth and Zechariah get over the years? How much judgment did they receive when JTB just got stranger and stranger? Did they feel pressure to parent him differently? Did they spend most of the rest of their lives on their needs looking for your guidance and help?

Tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday. I bought her a card that is one of those “For my daughter” cards. I don’t normally like those, but in this case the sentiment was perfect.

Remembering the first time I saw you, I can still feel that jolt of love and amazement at what a miracle you were. And now here you are, just a quick blur of birthdays later, all grown-up and still a miracle! I’ve loved watching you discover your talents and grown into your gifts…sharing with the world the light that’s been shining inside you right from that first day.

She won’t fully understand those words until she has a child of her own. I wouldn’t have understood it at her age. I might have rolled by eyes at the schmaltziness of it and moved on. But I do, indeed, remember the first moment I saw her. In fact, I was the first person on earth to physically see her. No one wants the best for her more than I do. My wife might match my fandom of my daughter’s life, but she certainly can’t exceed it. Of course, it was a challenge to know the right thing to do as a parent. It still is. I guess that explains why my wife and I have spent so much time praying for our children, both individually and conjugally.

Father, help me to ignore the world and how it sees my children or judges my parenting decisions. Help me to simply look to you, trust in you, and rest in you. Help me to hear you. Help me to see with your eyes. Help me to hear with your ears. Help me to love with your love. And do it all so that your kingdom might come and your will might be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 21, 2020 in Luke, Mothers of the Bible

 

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Mothers of the Bible — Elizabeth (Part 1)

19 Mar

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Luke 1:5-7,24-25,39-45

Dear God, maybe this comment is more about Mary that it is Elizabeth, and I’m going to hold off on Mary and Joseph until they end of this series (they’re obviously the best parents in the Bible, after all), but it is so nice that you have her Elizabeth and Zechariah. You gave her a safe place. And the angel told her about Elizabeth being pregnant so she’d know that Elizabeth will understand what’s going on. Elizabeth will believe you. She’ll believe you because she’s living in the midst of her own miracle.

For those first seven or eight months of conceiving and pregnancy before Mary arrived, I wonder what Elizabeth’s communications with Zechariah were like. Did Zechariah write down what Gabriel told him for her to see? I’m sure he did. Did they talk about it, with Zechariah writing his part down? I’m sure they did. Did they pray to you? Did they dream of what this would look like? Were they filled with hope and joy? Did they mistakenly dream of power and might for their child? I’m sure they never imagined him living in the wilderness, wearing animal skins, eating bugs, and eventually being beheaded. No, they didn’t need to know that about him. As with me, you kept them on a need-to-know basis. They needed to know their child’s relationship and connection to the Messiah. They needed to know to not cut his hair (I still don’t know why that was a thing except to maybe help John the Baptist [JTB] have a constant reminder that he was set apart for you). Knowing what they knew helped prepare them to raise this boy, but it also gave Elizabeth the intuition and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit that she needed to recognize what you were doing through Mary.

A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judaea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her. Elizabeth was filled wit the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and y our child is blessed.”

What a great affirmation for Mary! I’m sure she was scared. She knew the angel mentioned Elizabeth so she “hurried” to Zechariah’s house. But now, how will she tell Elizabeth what is happening with her? How will she explain? Well, she didn’t have to. What a gift. You used Elizabeth’s motherhood of JTB to grow her in a new way and make her available to Mary in a way she never would have been before.

Father, you certainly stretch me through my children. You love others through me because of what you have taught me as a father. You have taught me lessons I’d have never otherwise learned. You continue to show me new aspects of who you are through them. And just as Zechariah and Elizabeth had no idea what JTB’s and Jesus’s futures looked like, I have no idea what the futures of my children or even my wife and me will look like. But you have shown me what I need to know for today. You have given me good work to do today. Help me to have eyes that see and ears that hear. Make me slow to speak and discerning.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on March 19, 2020 in Luke, Mothers of the Bible

 

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