Because of Bethlehem
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” – Luke 1:46-48
Mary’s world turned upside down. She was engaged to be married, but the angel Gabriel paid her a visit to share the news that she would carry the Messiah. She would be the one to give birth to Jesus, the Promised One. I can only imagine that Mary was a mixed bag of emotions that day. I know I would be.
In Luke’s account of the unfolding story of redemption, we watch Mary obey and rejoice over her circumstances in a way that challenges and convicts us to do the same. At the time in which Mary lived, the news of becoming an unwed mother would mean she would be gossiped about at best and shunned by those around her at worst. Despite these threats, she clings to the promise that she has favor with God. In Luke 1:46-55, she praises God for his greatness and looks forward to how future generations will call her blessed, despite what anyone might think of her in her lifetime.
We see unprecedented times of turmoil now, but the nations have raged since Eden’s fall and will continue to do so until Jesus returns to set all things right again. We live in a world stained by sin, and so did Mary. Even then people awaited the Messiah. The world around us aches for him too, they just may not know it yet.
Everything about the birth of Jesus looks like an unmet expectation. Mary is not married yet. Bethlehem is an ordinary place. Jesus is placed in a manger, a commonplace feeding trough.
Our lives may seem full of the same type of lost opportunities, mundane moments and apparent disappointments. Despite the outward appearance of her circumstances, Mary trusts the heart-level knowledge that God is with her. Her joy comes from a deep well that never runs dry, and as followers of Christ, neither does ours.
The advent season is an opportunity for us to remember the hope extended to us when Jesus took his first breath and was placed in that humble manger. God has a plan to redeem our sin and bring us back into a right relationship with him. It all began in Bethlehem.
Because of this hope, like Mary, we can rejoice.
“A thrill of hope.
The weary world rejoices…”
The Divine came and dwelt among us. Nothing was ever the same. In this season, let’s take great joy in knowing that we have hope for the future because of Bethlehem.
Scripture Reference: Luke 1:46-55 (Mary’s Praise)
Prayer Prompt: What can you rejoice over today even if it feels ordinary? How is God meeting you in these unprecedented times? Spend some time adoring and giving God thanks for how he is working, even when it’s hard to recognize.
