Daily Advent Reflections

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Daily Advent Reflection: December 23

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Fourth Wednesday of Advent

Psalms 72 · 111, 113
Isa. 28:9-22 
Rev. 21:9-21 
Luke 1:26-38

It is that time of year once again when we are reminded of Mary’s great faith when the angel Gabriel revealed God’s plan for her. I always read this passage with a hesitant yet fond familiarity. I know the story. And I know I need work in the faith department. Yet as I progressed through the verses, I found myself troubled just as Mary was troubled. For I realized that her concern came before she learned about her pending pregnancy.

I guess I always jumped to the conclusion that the thought of being with child before her marriage to Joseph was formalized, was the reason for her concern. Knowing what the community would think of her, knowing what Joseph would think and have every right to do in that culture, and knowing that she could possibly even be stoned to death would give anyone a good reason to be troubled.

But as I looked again at verses 28 and 29, I found that she was troubled before she heard any details of her call. She was troubled because of Gabriel’s salutation, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” It even says that she wondered what kind of a greeting that was. I then began to think about how I would react to those words without knowing the rest of the story.

I’m sorry to say that the cynical and sarcastic tendencies of my character would probably emerge front and center. Highly favored? Really? Ya, right! And yes, God is with me. But I just wish He would make His presence a bit more obvious.

Looking once again at what her pregnancy would mean for her, I realized just how much she needed that greeting. She truly had to take it seriously in order to stand strong through all that she would face. She had to believe that she was favored and that God was with her before she could choose to accept the impossible into her life. She had to believe it with all her heart.

How many times are we faced with the same situation when God tells us we are His and He is with us? Only when we can accept that truth, can we then go on to accept the impossible promises in His Word. We are forgiven (Psalm 103:3). There is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1). God causes all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28). He will give us rest (Matthew 11:28). He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5). Greater is He that is in us than he who is in this world (1 John 4:4). Ask and we shall receive (John 16:24)! These are just a few of His promises and all seem rather impossible most of the time. But when even one of those promises becomes real in our lives, our lives become more and more a beacon of light in a dark world.

So it is still about Mary’s great faith. Only after she put her faith in God could she respond, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Just when I felt I knew this story, God took me back to the beginning. As Isaiah said, the Word IS precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little there a little. That’s how our faith grows… by small determined baby steps while standing on top of a solid foundation.

Jesus is the Word. And every one of us is called to accept the Word that the Spirit of God places in our hearts, so that we can give His truth birth into this world.

Terrie Knox
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Fort Atkinson