3 Simple Rules

Her name was Susanna Wesley (1669-1742), the mother of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley (1703-1791). She knew a thing or two about motherhood and she set the standard high. She was born in 1669, the youngest of twenty-five children. At the age of nineteen she married Samuel Wesley (1663-1735). They knew hardship. Constantly poor, they had nineteen children, nine of their children did not make it into adulthood. Their family home burned down twice. Yet, despite all of this, she is remembered as an outstanding mother. She prepared her children to survive in this world and to be prepared for eternity.

Each one of her children, both boys and girls, were home-schooled. Their education began on the day after their fifth birthday. Each one of them was required to know the complete alphabet after the first day. Once their education was complete, her children knew both Greek and Latin, along with the classics. All this was done within the framework of sixteen house rules. They still speak to our world today. These are her sixteen rules for parenting:

Eating between meals is not allowed.
Children are to be in bed by 8 p.m.
Children are required to take medicine without complaining.
Subdue self-will in a child to save the child’s soul.
Teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak.
Require all to be still during Family Worship.
Give them nothing that they cry for, and only that when asked for politely.
To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented of.
Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished.
Never punish a child twice for a single offense.
Reward good behavior.

12. Any attempt to please, even if poorly performed, should be commended.

Preserve property rights, even in smallest matters.

14. Strictly observe all promises.

15. Require no daughter to work before she can read well.

16. Teach children to fear the rod. 

Those rules demonstrate that Susanna Wesley knew something about raising children. However, this is the Good News for today: This blog does not have sixteen points. This blog only has three. They are found in our reading, John 2:1-11.

The scene is a wedding reception. Couples didn’t honeymoon in those days. No one traveled to Mexico or the Caribbean. However, they did hold receptions that lasted approximately a week. Jesus was invited to one such reception because he was a respected rabbi. Over the generations, certain general rules of hospitality have remained intact. Running out of food or drink has always been a serious matter. In verse three we discover that the wine had run out. Everyone looked for the guilty party, but Mary looked to Jesus.

She knew Jesus had the power to save the day. She believed in Jesus when Jesus didn’t believe in himself. In verse four, we find Jesus making an excuse for his inactivity, “My time has not yet come.” Mary does not listen. Instead, she instructs servants to bring him water. By the end of the scene, the party has resumed. Everyone had enough wine. Verse ten tells us it was the good wine. What does that mean? It means the wine that Jesus produced had a kick. What grabs our attention today is not the quality of the wine, it is the relationship between Mary and Jesus.

Time is important in this story. The nativity was decades earlier. Jesus is no longer a newborn, and Mary is no longer a young mother. In this story, Jesus is thirty years old man, and Mary is a veteran mother. Mary illustrates how our relationships with our children must change. You can’t treat your thirty-year-old child like a newborn, that will destroy any relationship. Your relationship with your children must evolve, as your child evolves. Mary illustrates for us three simple rules parents must follow when dealing with their adult children.

This is rule #1: Know your children! Mary knew Jesus. She was at the wedding reception with Jesus and this was not unusual. Mary spent most days with Jesus. Mary knew Jesus was different from the very beginning. She must have remembered many things. She must have recalled that visit from the angel years earlier, who told her that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Son of God. She must have remembered Jesus’ birth. She remembered the visitors, the shepherds and the Magi. She must have remembered how Jesus wandered off at the age of twelve and was found in the temple. Mary remembered it all because she was part of Jesus’ life for thirty years. She knew Jesus better than Jesus knew himself. How well do you know your children?

How much real time do you spend with your children? Perhaps, this is a better question: How well do your children know you? Can you name three of your children’s friends? If not, maybe you don’t know your children. Spending time with your children is important. Rule #1 says, know your children.

This is rule #2: encourage your children! History tells us that Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) carried an old newspaper article with him regularly. Those who were closest to him say he read it daily. He couldn’t believe the words. The article said Lincoln was a great leader. The article was correct, he is remembered as being a great leader, perhaps our greatest president. However, Lincoln didn’t see himself that way. He was crippled with self-doubt. Lincoln illustrates for us a simple point. It doesn’t really matter what others think of you. The only thing that matters is how you feel about yourself. How do you feel about yourself?

I love this Bible story because it shows the human side of Jesus. Jesus had an insecure side. Look at the story again. The Master is at a wedding reception when the wine ran out. Jesus had the power to solve the problem, but he didn’t try because he was too insecure. It is his mother who gives him the nudge to try. Verse 3 says, “When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’” In other words, Mary is telling Jesus to do something. She is encouraging him to do something. Have you ever needed an encouraging word? The world reminds us regularly of what we can’t do. We need people in our lives to remind us of what we can do. It is not just true of the young. It is true of the not-so-young. We are often blind to our own abilities. It is impossible to receive too much encouragement. Rule #2 says, encourage your children.

This is rule #3: Trust your children to God! Mary knew Jesus and she encouraged Jesus. However, the third rule must have been the hardest one for her to apply. She knew God had something special planned for him. She remembered how she and Joseph took Jesus to the temple when he was only eight days old. On that day, they met an old man by the name of Simeon. He knew Jesus was destined for greatness. Do you remember his words? Mary did. Simeon said, “This child is destined for the raising and the falling of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34). Mary didn’t know what that really meant, but she must have asked the question a million times: why does her son have to lead to the raising and the falling? Why not just the raising?

When she encouraged Jesus to change the water into wine, she was encouraging Jesus to get on with his life. She was encouraging Jesus to fulfill his divine destiny. Jesus’ future was out of Mary’s control. She had done the best she could do. Now, she had to trust God with him. We only have our children at home for a short time. Most of their lives they are on their own. How far do you trust God with your children? This is rule #3, trust your children to God.

Years ago, I watched Ken Burn’s (born 1953) documentary on World War II, The War. My father served during that war, so I felt some attachment. I found the interviews of the survivors interesting. That generation is dying quickly. In one episode, they interviewed a native-American soldier who was in the infantry. I will never forget it. I think about it every Mother’s Day. Years after the conflict, he cried about the day he took a German life with his own hands. Death did not come suddenly, the soldier died slowly. Before he died, he called out. According to the man interviewed, he didn’t call out for a medic. He didn’t call out for his friends. He called out for his mother, twice. The man was a solider, but the man was a son who needed his mother.

Don’t tell me motherhood isn’t important. It is important to love your children when they are young, but it is equally important to love them today. Regardless of age, they will always be your children, and you will always be their mother. The English poet and playwright Robert Browning (1812-1889) once said, “Love begins and ends with mothers.” I believe he was right!

Mary, Jacob, and George

In 1946, Frank Capra (1897-1991) released his movie, It’s A Wonderful Life. It was nominated for five Oscars. It has become a holiday classic, seen by many. The storyline revolves around George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart (1908-1997). He wants to see the world but is shackled by responsibility to his hometown, Bedford Falls. George doesn’t have a clue the difference he has made to the people in his life.

I love the scene where absent-minded Uncle Billy, played by Thomas Mitchell (1892-1962) lost $8,000 of Bailey Building and Loan’s money. That would be like losing approximately $122,000 today. On clue, the bank examiner suddenly arrives, played by Charles Halton (1876-1959) and George begins to panic. Without success, George looks everywhere for the money. With his shattered dreams in his hands, he decides to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge. He decides life is not worth living. So, to speak, he is wrestling with God and wished he had never been born.

He is saved by his guardian angel, angel second class, Clarence Oddbody, played by Henry Travers (1874-1965). He is the one who grants George’s wish. He shows George what his world would be like if he had never been born. The picture is not pretty. His wife, Mary, play by Donna Reed (1921-1986), never married so his children were never born. His mother struggles for survival. His brother, Harry, drowns, so others he had saved died. His Uncle Billy was institutionalized. His town, Bedford Falls, was run by his enemy, Mr. Potter, played by Lionel Barrymore (1878-1954). It is now called Potterville, where life is dark. Considering this new information, George begins to realize the difference he has made on his world. With nowhere else to go, he returns to the bridge and asks for his old life back. He wants to live again! George is a changed man, and the transformation is complete. The life that seemed so pointless suddenly has meaning. That leads us to two questions. How do you feel about your life? How would your world change if you had never have been born? That takes us to our scripture reading.

We find ourselves in the first chapter of Luke, verses forty-seven through fifty-five. The main character in the scene is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Forget about everything you think you know about her. She was not a blond attractive woman in her mid-twenties. She was a dark complicated Middle Eastern girl between the age of thirteen and sixteen years of age. That was common in her age. Her and Joseph’s marriage was an arranged marriage He may have been thirty. The scriptures tell us they were betrothed. In other words, they were not legally married, but they were legally bound. They acted like they were married in every way but one, sex. That fact is important because Mary was pregnant. Did you hear what I said? Mary was pregnant without the need of a man. Jesus’ birth was a virgin birth. Mary was pregnant, but she was sexually innocent. Read the next line slowly so you comprehend it completely.

The story of Christmas began with an unwanted pregnancy. It is not comfortable, but it is true. Annually, I read this passage and wonder why God put Mary in such a horrible position. Surely, there must have been another way. This pregnancy complicated Mary’s life. On the one hand, it was the best thing that ever happened to Mary. Just think about it for a minute. With all the women that have ever lived in this world, God only chose one to be the mother of his son. As Protestant’s we don’t want to look too Catholic, so we are uncomfortable saying it. We both admire and respect Mary. She completely trusted God. On the other hand, this pregnancy was the worst thing that ever happened to her. Unlike our time, she lived in high moral times. Her personal reputation was ruined, and she was a black sheep in the family. She cried tears of joy at the birth of Jesus; she cried tears of sorrow at his execution. This unwanted pregnancy changed everything. Yet, in the face of all this uncertainty, she trusts and praises God.

Our scripture reading is Mary’s response to this unwanted pregnancy. It has been called the Magnificat, which means “glorifies.” It comes from the first verse of the passage, “My soul glorifies the Lord.” It is a great piece of scripture because it reveals Mary’s faith in God. We do not have that kind of faith. With her eyes fixed on eternity, she surrendered her life to God. We are near sighted and demand our way. This is the question you must answer. How far do you trust God? No one has ever trusted God as much as Mary.

Most of the time we are more like Jacob from the Old Testament. His story is found in Genesis twenty-five through fifty. After a period of living in a foreign land, Jacob returned home. It was not just a matter of personal choice. It was all part of the divine plan. At first, Jacob was open to the idea. He was tired of eating foreign food in a foreign land. He longed for what was comfortable; He longed for what was familiar. With every step he takes, he is closer to home. That was the problem. It was the same life he ran from years earlier. An encounter with his red hairy brother, Esau, was inevitable. It would not be a pleasant reunion. After all, Jacob had taken everything from Esau. Jacob dreaded their reunion. He dreaded their reunion to the point Jacob wrestled with an angel (Genes 32:22-32). Jacob knew their reunion was part of the divine plan, but he resisted. Unlike Mary, he did not trust God. Have you ever wrestled with God? Have you ever known what God wants you to do but you resist. At those moments you are more like Jacob than you care to admit. That is what makes Mary so amazing. She didn’t wrestle with God. She simply surrendered to God’s will. What part of your life are you willing to surrender to God?

How much of your personal agenda are you willing to sacrifice to serve God?

Mary accepted this unwanted pregnancy and surrendered her agenda. Answer this question. What would have happened to Mary if God would have chosen another woman to birth his son? This is the answer. Mary would have done what Mary wanted to do. In other words, she would have made her choices within her society’s expectations. It is safe to say, Mary would have married Joseph and birthed only his children. Mary’s name would not be found within the pages of the Bible. She would have lived a common life. That would have been fine with Mary because that was all she wanted. This unwanted pregnancy changed everything. How has Jesus altered your agenda?

I served the Western Reserve United Methodist Church in Canfield, Ohio for twenty-eight years. It was not a megachurch, but it was a healthy midsize church. My longevity surprised many because Methodists are known for their short-term pastorates. I never dreamed I would stay so long. There was a time when I wanted to move on and serve a large membership church to make a name for myself. However, my life did not unfold that way. Through the years, I played the part of Jacob, wrestling with God. There were years during the appointment season, I wanted that call. However, when the call came, I fought to stay here. There were many days l was frustrated by my own lack of success. Through the world’s eyes, I was not a success, but I live at peace with my career, because God wanted me at Western Reserve. At some point I forgot about my agenda and surrendered to God’s agenda. That took me years to accomplish, but Mary did it in an instant. How much of your personal agenda are you willing to sacrifice to serve God? Mary trusted God and surrender her agenda.

Are you willing to sacrifice your social standing to serve God? Mary accepted this unwanted pregnancy and surrendered her social standing. For the rest of her life, she was identified as the woman who had this child out of wedlock. She was the topic of many gossipy conversations. Her reputation was destroyed, and she was an embarrassment to her family. This unwanted pregnancy changed everything. How has Jesus changed your social standing?

You know it is true. There is a stigma that comes along with being a minister. I cannot count the number of times, I have sat at a table, and someone says, “We better behave! We have a preacher sitting with us!” Everyone laughs, but I just smiled. Do you know how many times I have heard that line? Do you know how sick I am of that line? People just don’t know how cool ministers are. It is not just true of ministers; it is true of Christians. Mentioning Jesus will change the way people look at you. Mary trusted God and accepted this unwanted pregnancy, surrendering her social standing. How important is your social standing?

How much of your money are you willing to sacrifice to serve God? Mary accepted this unwanted pregnancy and surrendered her money. On the night Jesus was born, Mary’s heart was filled with joy. Two years later, Magi appeared from the east to worship him. They brought gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense. (Matthew 2:1-12) That was the only financial compensation she would ever receive. Jesus was no different from any other child. With his birth came extra expenses. The Brookings Institute reported it costs $310,605 to raise a child to eighteen years old. That is approximately $17,000 a year. That does not include college expenses. This unwanted pregnancy changed everything. How much is Jesus costing you?

Years ago, I officiated at a wedding in the Cleveland area. After the service, the photographer began taking pictures. I sat in the back and watched. A gentleman came up to me and introduced himself as the groom’s uncle. We began to talk. He pointed out one of the ushers. He was another nephew. He told me about the young man. He was bright and full of potential. He said, “You will never guess what he wants to do with his life?” I just looked at him. I didn’t have a clue. He said, “He wants to be a preacher.” I thought, “That is great!” He said, “What a waste! He could do anything and make big money, but he wants to be a preacher.” That gentleman spoke for many in our society. Money is the driving force for many.

Jesus spoke more about money than any other topic because money is revealing. We only spend our money on things that are important to us. If you are going to follow Jesus, then it is going to cost you. I don’t just mean ministers. I mean true disciples. If you are going to follow Jesus, then how are you going to ignore the financial needs of your church? If you are going to follow Jesus, then how are you going to ignore the needs of your community, country, and world? How much of your money are you willing to sacrifice to serve God? Mary trusted God and sacrificed her money.

That takes us back to the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey stood on the bridge. It was the same bridge he had visited in the past. At that time, he was going to end his life. This time he was praying. He had learned a few things about his life. His life wasn’t pointless. His life had meaning. It was unfolding just as God planned. He surrendered to God and embraced every day. That is what the movie teaches us. Like Mary, we need to trust God and let God be our guide. Evangelical Christian Bruce Wilkinson (born 1940) once said, “Dependence upon God makes heroes of ordinary people like you and me!”

Imperfect Christmas

One of my favorite Christmas movies is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It was released 33 years ago and is a Christmas classic. It seems to be on television nightly. It stars Chevy Chase (born 1943) who plays the part of Clark Griswold. (However, I love Randy Quaid (born 1950), who plays the part of Cousin Eddie. He is such a jerk!) Clark is a good man who wants to bring his family the perfect Christmas. He tries everything but everything seems to go wrong. The Christmas lights do not work. The turkey looks great, but it is dry. The neighbors are annoying. The relatives are weird. The squirrel gets in the house. The cat gets electrocuted. It is a fun movie to watch. How many times have you seen Christmas Vacation?

Do you know why we love Christmas Vacation? The reason is every December we play the part of Clark Griswold. We do our best to give our family the perfect old fashion Christmas. The problem is we live in an imperfect world. Something always seems to go wrong. We should not be surprised because we live in an imperfect world. It has always been that way. That takes us to our scripture lesson.

We find ourselves in the first chapter of Luke, verses twenty-six through forty-three. The main character is Mary. She was the one God chose to be the mother of Jesus. She is in a difficult position. I would encourage you to forget everything you think you know about her and simply look at the words of the story. Do not think of her as a saint or some spiritual superhero. She is not a mature woman in her twenties. She was a teenager, who is going through an incredibly difficult time. Her life is far from perfect. She is more like us then you can imagine. Because of this similarity between us and her, she models for us how to survive in our world. There are three divine truths in her story.

First, Mary reminds us: life is hard. Life has always been hard. If you do not believe me then look at the Nativity, itself. Do not glamorize the story. Do not get sucked into the tradition. I will say it again. Just read the words. Every single person in the story was in a difficult situation. Never forget, it all began with an unwanted pregnancy. Mary was in a difficult situation. In a time that valued morals, Mary was an unwed pregnant teenager. Joseph was in a difficult situation. There was no right answer. On the one hand, he had every right to divorce Mary and walk away. The problem is Mary would have been found guilty of adultery. That means she could be stoned to death. How could he live with her death on his hands? On the other hand, if he takes Mary as his own then he brings shame on himself. He is saying he has broken the abstinence law during the engagement. If you turn to the second chapter of Matthew, then you find the story of the Magi. They were in a difficult situation. All they wanted to do was worship the newborn king. Do you remember what happened? Their sincere actions led to the death of two-year-old baby boys and younger. How many mothers blamed them for their son’s death? Outside of the nativity, Zachariah and Elizabeth are in a difficult situation. They had no children, and their society demanded many children. They believed the more the children the greater God’s blessings. The fewer the children the fewer the blessings. They had no children, so they had no blessings. Do I have to go on? Their lives were hard.

For many, still today, life is hard. How perfect is your Christmas going to be this year? Maybe your perfect Christmas is not impossible because you are grieving? The loss of a loved one is never easy. Maybe your perfect Christmas is not possible because some relationship in your life is broken? People file for divorce twelve months a year. People ignore their siblings twelve months a year. People refuse to forgive twelve months a year. Maybe your perfect Christmas is not possible because you are consumed with worry. How are you going to pay for all those student loans? How are you going to get out of debt? The mole on your back is changing. Maybe your perfect Christmas is not possible because your time is running out? You have not lived out any of your youthful dreams. You feel like you have not done anything! Does anyone here feel like they are letting the next generation down? Do you know of anyone who has a hard life? Could it be you have a hard life? Do you know of anyone who has ever said, “Life is much easier than I ever expected!” No! Life is hard!

Second, Mary reminds us: sometimes we need others. Look at the story one more time with me. Mary was from the town of Nazareth. In her time, Nazareth had a population of between 100 and 400 people. Have you ever lived in a small town? Have you ever worshipped in a small membership church? Everyone knows everyone else. Everyone knows everyone’s business. Mary was single and pregnant in a small town. Everyone in her life is talking about her pregnancy. She is the hot topic at the well. The story says she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Biblical scholars believe she went for two reasons. First, she goes to Elizabeth to escape the people in her life. Second, she goes to Elizabeth receive some unconditional love. Has there ever been a time in your life when you needed the counsel of someone else? Have you ever been the counsel for someone else? Sometimes we need people. Mary went to Elizabeth. Where do you go? Have you ever gone to visit a relative? Have you ever gone to visit a friend? Have you ever traveled to a counselor or a support group? Do not feel guilty! Sometimes we need people. Life is hard. Sometimes we need people.

Third and finally, Mary reminds us: we always need God. Look at the text with me one final time. The angel goes to Mary and tells her she is going to have a baby. Mary knows it is biologically impossible. She has never been intimate with a man. The angel tells her the Holy Spirit will come upon her and she will conceive. What does that mean? It means that Mary’s personal agenda for her life must be discarded. Her personal will means nothing. God’s will for her means everything. Verse 38 is an incredible verse. It says, “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” She sacrificed her dreams and desires for her life for God’s will. Generations later, she reminds us that we always need God. How much of your will are you willing to surrender to God? Life is hard. Sometimes we need others. We always need God.

This will be an odd Christmas for me. For four decades I led worship on Christmas Eve but not this year. I will not miss it, but I do have fond memories. Looking back, I enjoyed spending Christmas Eve at church. For years, I led three services on Christmas Eve. Can I be honest with you? There was a time when I ruined Christmas for myself because I was looking for the perfect Christmas Eve worship experience. My attitude about Christmas changed in a single moment. It happened during a 7:00 Christmas Eve service, the largest of the three. We were just about to take up the Christmas offering.The ushers came forward and I passed out the offering plate. Without warning, one of the ushers dropped the plate and it hit the prayer rail. It sounded like cymbals crashing. I was frustrated because I was striving for perfection. I was preoccupied by that moment for the rest of the service and was still venting about it the next morning. It was at that moment the person I respect the most I the world saved my Christmas forever. My wife Kathryn said to me, “Russ, it is Christmas. It comes once a year. Enjoy it. Things happen.” And she gave me a kiss and said, “Merry Christmas!”

This is the good news for today! I am not going to give you a kiss, but I am going to remind you it is Christmas. There is no such thing as the perfect Christmas, because from the very beginning it was imperfect. It all began with an unwanted pregnancy. Never forget, Christmas is not about you. Christmas is not about your family or loved ones. Christmas is about Jesus, who came to save this imperfect world. It only comes once a year. Enjoy it. David Jeremiah (born 1941) once said, “All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing without the presence of Christ.”

The Magnificat

The first two chapters of Luke are sacred to us. For it is in these chapters we find the divine events surrounding the birth of Jesus. Those familiar words comfort us at the most challenging of times. Within those stories are four songs. There is Zechariah’s songs, Luke 1:67-79, at the birth of his son, John the Baptist. There is the song the angels sang to the shepherds, Luke 2:13-14, when Jesus was born. There is Simeon’s song, Luke 2:29-32, when he cast his eyes on the infant Jesus. There is Mary’s song,Luke 1:46-56, when she is told she is going to be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah. That song is called The Magnificat. It comes from the translates from the Latin translation for Glorify. It is Mary’s song that grabs our attention today. This is the question you must answer.

Who is Mary? Through the eyes of the world, she is nothing special. Prior to our reading we are told, she lived in the town of Nazareth. As the crow flies, it is about sixty miles north of Jerusalem. At the time, Nazareth was a small town with a population of only several hundred people. We also learned from the prior reading she is betrothed to a man named Joseph. There is no reason to believe their marriage was not arranged. He is from the town of Bethlehem, located several miles south of Nazareth. They are not just engaged, they are betrothed, which means they are legally bound. The only thing Mary desired for her life was to be a respectable Jewish wife and mother. Her story was not much different than many young Jewish women of that time. Through the eyes of the world, Mary is nothing special.

Through the eyes of God, however, she is quite spectacular. Have you ever wondered how many women have been born in the history of the world? I am not just talking about Mary’s generation. I am taking about the beginning of the world. According to the United Nations, there were 7.8 billion people in the world today. 49.6% of the world’s population are women. That means, approximately 3.9 billion women in the world today. There are some outstanding women in the world. I have known some and I married one. Yet, 3.9 billion is tiny next to all the women who have ever lived. I have no clue, how many women have ever lived, but I do know God chose one to be the mother of the Messiah, Mary. She was nothing special through the eyes of this world. However, she was spectacle through the eyes of God.

Who is Mary? If you close your eyes and picture Mary, using your sanctified imagination, what do you see? If you imagine Mary to in her mid-thirties with blond hair and blue eyes with a master’s degree and a bright future, then you could not be more wrong. Mary was fourteen or fifteen. Life began early at that time because life ended early. Yet, God chose this teenage girl and God chose correctly. The Magnificat shows us Mary was advanced for her years. She both trusted God and understood God. Her trust in the Almighty is obvious. Her understanding is hidden.

The words of Mary’s song remind us of Mary’s understanding. It is her understanding that grabs our attention. At a young age she understands God and gives us six attributes or characteristics of God in the Magnificat. Today, I will look at those six attributes. I will be brief with the first five and take my time with the last one. After all, this is Advent. It is the time to marvel at the incarnation of God. These points are not original. They came from P.G. Matthew, who is the Senior Minister at the Grace Valley Christian Center in Davis, California.

God is mighty! The first attribute Mary speaks of is the might and power of God. In Luke 1:49 she sings, “For the Mighty One has done great things for me.” Mary’s God was a God Almighty, the Creator of the universe. There is no one mightier than her God. He alone is able, and with him alone nothing is impossible. Here is are questions you must answer. How mighty is your God? How weak are you? Like Mary, there is no need to fear our mighty God because we are his people. Never forget, God is mighty.

God is holy! The second attribute Mary speaks of is the holiness of God. In verse 49, Mary declared, “For the mighty one has done great things for me – holy is his name.” This is not an isolated piece of scripture. The Bible tells us repeatedly that God is holy.” For example, in Exodus 19 God says to Moses, “Be holy, as I am holy.” In Isaiah 6:1-5, the great prophet finds himself in heaven and sees two winged creatures covering God. They are calling to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty.” Let me state the obvious. We are not like God. God is holy, but we are sinners. Never forget, God is holy.

God is judge! The third attribute Mary speaks is the judgement of God. In verse 52 and 53, Mary proclaims, “He has brought down the mighty rulers from their thrones. He has sent the rich empty away.” God hates arrogance. Someday you will stand before God and be judged. God will not be looking for innocence, because each one of us is guilty. God will be looking humility. Are you open to God’s leading in your life? Never forget, God is judge.

God is merciful! The fourth attribute Mary speaks is mercy.Verse 54 says,“He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful.” That verse reminds us how God’s Chosen People were enslaved in Egypt. They cried to God for help and God heard their prays. He had mercy on them and sent them a liberator, Moses. God hears our cries for help because God is a God of mercy. Never forget, God is merciful.

God is Faithful! The fifth attribute of Mary speaks is faithfulness. Verse 55 says, “To Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised his ancestors.” In other words, God keeps his promises, but it may take some time. Mary lived 2,000 after Abraham. God does things in God’s time, so you better be patient. Do you consider yourself a patient person? I hope you are. Never forget, God is faithful.

God is Our Savior! The sixth, and final, attribute of Mary speaks of being our Savor. The Magnificat begins in verse 47. Mary says, “My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” I saved this attribute for last, because during this time of years, we ponder the incarnation of God. In other words, God left the perfection of heaven to slum it with us. It is hard to fathom. It has been said, the incarnation is beyond all human understanding.

Several weeks ago, I attended an Emmaus event. It is a group that is committed to their spiritual development. Each time they gather, they sing a few songs, pray, and someone stands up and shares something for their heart. On that night, the person who led the group grabbed my attention. I really was not surprised because I have a great deal of respect for him as a disciple. I knew, he would not waste my time, and he did not. I think about the story he told often during the month of December. The story widens both my understanding and appreciation of the incarnation. I hope it does the same for you. This is the story.

There was once a man who did not believe in the incarnation or the spiritual meaning of Christmas. The truth be told, he was skeptical about God. He and his family lived in a farming community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised their children in her faith. He mocked her religious observance of Christmas. One snowy Christmas Eve she was taking the kids to the Christmas Eve service at church. She pleaded with him to come, but he steadfastly refused. He ridiculed the idea of the incarnation and dismissed it as nonsense. “Why would God lower himself and become a human like us?! It’s such a ridiculous story!” he said. So, she and the children left for church while he stayed home.

After they had left, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening. Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window. And another thump. He looked outside but could not see. So, he ventured outside to see. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese! They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but they had been caught in the snowstorm. The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles.

He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, “The barn would be a great place for them to stay! It’s warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm.” So, he opened the barn doors for them. He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. But they did not notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them.

He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear. He went into the house and came back out with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still did not catch on. Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety, and shelter.

Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, “Why don’t they follow me? Can’t they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?” He thought for a moment and realized that they just would not follow a human. He said to himself, “How can I possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them! Then I could save them! They would follow me, and I would lead them to safety.”

At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said. The words reverberated in his mind: “If only I could become like one of them- then I could save them.” And then, at last, he understood God’s heart towards mankind, and he fell on his knees in the snow and worshipped Him.

Mankind is like the geese — blind, gone astray, perishing. God became like us so He could show us the way and make a way available to save us. That is the meaning of Christmas, he realized in his heart. As the winds and blinding snow abated, his heart became quiet and pondered this epiphany. He understood what Christmas was all about. He knew why Christ had to come. Suddenly the years of doubt and disbelief were shattered, as he humbly and tearfully bowed down in the snow, and he embraced the true meaning of Christmas. Mary was not wrong. Never forget, God is mighty, holy, our judge, merciful, faithful, and our Savior.