Wednesday night's gathering at SOTH to discuss The Journey yielded lots of great discussion and got all of our "wheels" turning on what the experience of that first Christmas might really have been like. A question emerged: Can we say no to God?
Could Mary have simply refused Gabriel's message?
What about us? Can we thwart the will of God?
Mary had good reasons to say no. Namely, safety. She was told by Gabriel that this child would be the King, the Annointed One, the Messiah of Israel. That meant he was a direct threat to King Herod. And Herod didn't do very well with being threatened.
He was ruthless and had already killed some of his own children who had threatened his rule. Scripture tells us that after the visit of the Magi, he ordered the execution of all the baby boys who could be the one.
But there was even more.
Old Testament law made Mary's "offense" of pregnancy out of wedlock punishable by death. The religious authorities had the right to have her stoned to death. At the moment she said yes, she didn't know what Joseph's reaction to her condition would be.
She had lots of reasons to say no. But she said yes. And it was dangerous.
Sure, but she was looking at an angel, right? Adam Hamilton puts forward in his work the idea that the "messenger" Mary faced might very well have looked like any other human being. Still, she said yes.
What about us? What could God be calling us to, right here, right now? Does it involve risk? Is the calling of Christmas still dangerous?
If what we feel is a call from God, it will almost surely involve risk and a kind of danger. Without that risk, there isn't much possibility of growth.
And God is all about the growth of something new. Just ask Mary. She said yes.
Grace & Peace --- and see you this Sunday at 10:30 as we talk about Joseph!
Adam
No comments:
Post a Comment