Today's Readings: Isaiah 62:1–5; Psalm 89; Luke 1:67–79
God does not always do things the way we would do them. It’s such a simple truth and seemingly simple to accept—that is, until God does something we wouldn’t have done if we were him.
And if you spend very long in Luke 1:26-38, the way in which Christ’s coming is announced and the way in which he comes does not make a lot of sense to the common eye.
A great angel appears not in public on display for everyone, but in private to a teenage girl. And he appears with the purpose of announcing, at last, the coming of the long awaited Messiah…it will be through her…the girl...the virgin. And this birth will be miraculous not simply because of her virginity, but because of the child: Jesus. “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. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”
Mary will give birth to the Son of God and he will reign forever in the Kingdom of God. And we know even more fully the implications of his coming. He will live and preach and heal and perform miracles. And he will be followed and accepted and dismissed and rejected. And he will be falsely convicted and subsequently murdered by way of the cross as a liar—as the one who rightfully claimed to be God.
None of these things would be the way we would have done them. But God does not always do things the way we would do them.
And three days later, Jesus Christ will rise from the grave, paying the penalty of our sin by his death and defeating death by his resurrection. And all those who believe and trust Jesus will be a part of his everlasting kingdom.
At first glance of Luke 1:26-38, you may think the passage is about Mary. And Mary is indeed a great example to us. She is thoughtful (v. 29), obedient (v.38), believing (v.45), and worshipful (v.46). But don’t miss verses 28 and 30. Mary is the object of God’s unmerited, graciously provided goodness. Her description is one who found favor with God, making it clear that God has acted on her behalf, not because of her. Mary’s greatest asset is that she is faithful.
Yes, God does not always do things the way we would do them, and thanks be to God for that. May we remember who God is this Christmas and be faithfully thankful and obedient to him and his marvelous way.
