“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
(Luke 1:37)
In his Advent devotional, Why This Jubliee? James Howell remarks, “God comes to people who aren’t seeking God at that moment.” This holds true for Mary living in Nazareth two-thousand years ago. Mary’s story has played in the lives of women and men since the dawn of creation of two people “pledged to be married” (Luke 1:26). So far, there is nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, we have a handful of upcoming weddings already on the church calendar for the coming year.
This marks Howell’s words as notable, “God comes to people who aren’t seeking God at that moment.” As a society we spend little time “seeking God” during the Advent season. Much of our time is trying to find that “holiday spirit” through movies, music, and Christmas parties. Dragging out the years of accumulated decorations we beautify our homes and our church. We do our part of driving around town admiring the Christmas lights, baking and eating sweets, or trying to decide which gift to buy for a difficult relative. The moments pile up like a snow drift; Christmas comes and goes, and the next thing we know we are dragging, as are our neighbors, the tree to the curb.
It is refreshing to know that “God comes to people who aren’t seeking God at the moment.” This is what happens to Mary who is doing the typical things to prepare for a first Century Jewish wedding in Galilee. God comes to Mary through the angel Gabriel, she is “greatly troubled” by the angel’s announcement:
Don’t be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 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, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end (Luke 1:30-33).
Mary questions, “How will this be” (1:34)? After all, she never submitted a multipage resume of her spiritual accomplishments or a curriculum vitae (C.V.). Mary doesn’t exactly apply for the job the angel handed to her. It’s the question that we all must ask. How is it that we bear not just a child but this child? God chooses the unlikely, a virgin to give birth to Jesus. God chooses unlikely people today “who aren’t seeking God at the moment.” The angel answers Mary’s deep question with a profound response,
The Holy Spirit will come upon 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…For nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:35;37).
This Advent and Christmas seasons, it is my prayer that you encounter the God who throughout history has made the impossible possible: uttering the world into existence, granting a child to an elderly and barren couple, parting the Red Sea, calming stormy seas, healing the sick, and raising Jesus from the dead nearly two-thousand years ago on that first Easter, to filling the church with the gift of the Holy Spirit. In your disbelief or shock may you respond in obedient faith as Mary who made herself available to the God who makes the impossible possible, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38).
Blessings,
Nicholas Perry, Pastor
Advent Schedule
December 10 – 2nd Sunday of Advent
7pm – Bible Study
5:30 pm – Evening Family Worship
December 17 – 3rd Sunday of Advent
Children will sing during 10:45 Service
5:30 pm – Evening Family Worship
7pm – Bible Study
December 24 – 4th Sunday of Advent – Cantata
Combined 10 am service (No Sunday School)
December 24 – 7pm Candle light Service
NO – 5:30 pm – Evening Family Worship
Christmas Week
Office closed December 25
Open 9 -3 on Dec 26
Open 9 – noon on December 27, 28, 29
December 31 – combined 10 am Fireside Service (No Sunday School)
NO – 5:30 pm – Evening Family Worship
Office closed January 1, 2018