December 20

December 20

Ornament with the heart

Have you ever heard the song called “Trust and Obey?”  The chorus goes like this: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”  When I think about our ornaments for today and tomorrow, the words to that hymn leap to my mind.  Today’s ornament is the heart, and tomorrow’s is the carpenter tools.  Any guesses?  We are going to be talking about the earthly parents of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  

Our Scripture reading is Luke 1:26-38:

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall 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 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary is part of our Jesse Tree, because she is the mother of Jesus!  After the angel of the Lord told Mary that she would be the mother of our Savior, her response was, “Behold the bondslave of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your Word.”

We have been talking about preparing our hearts and lives for the coming of Jesus.  Mary’s life and response to the Holy Spirit are a pattern of faith and humility for us.  She understood her position in relation to her God, and her heart was prepared to be the mother of the Messiah before the angel ever came to her. After Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth, Scripture records her song. This joyful response clearly shows her trust and intimate knowledge of her Savior:

“My soul exalts the Lord,

47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.

50 “And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.

51 “He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.

53 “He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.

54 “He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,

55 As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

Luke 1:46-55

The symbol of the heart can remind us of Mary, because the bible says Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.”  As we hang the heart symbol, let us pray to follow Mary’s pattern of trust and humility, and prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Christ.