Matthew
begins with the genealogy of Jesus, filled with less than perfect men and
women, less than stellar kings. So filled with such imperfect specimens is this
listing that the Holy Spirit then says: “Now the birth of Jesus was like this.”
Or “On the contrary the birth of Jesus was like this.”
His
birth was so very stellar and other-worldly compared to his lineage that there
is no comparison at all.
The
“players” in the drama are
Mary & Joseph
Zacharias and Elizabeth
The shepherds
The wise men
King Herod
Anna of Asher
Simeon of Judah.
And the inn-keeper
Each
had their mundane lives to live:
Mary & Joseph lived in a backwater
town.
Zacharias and Elizabeth were at retirement
age, having spent
their whole lives in a non-eventful and
thankless job, and childless.
The shepherds were caught up in a
monotonous and lonely
routine.
The wise men – a few of many scholars
– were wise by
knowledge, but they had no
real experience. They were
insulated by their books.
King Herod was caught between Rome
real king, he was distrustful of everyone,
and distrusted by everyone.
Anna & Simeon had spent a lifetime
of waiting with only a
thread of hope.
The inn-keeper was a little known
businessman in a village
whose only sense of
importance was the claim to the
birthplace of King
David.
In
a two-year period, each had an interesting encounter with God.
Zacharias stumbled into God’s
presence.
Elizabeth and God used the same body.
The shepherds and God attended the
same angelic concert.
The inn-keeper and God used the same stable for
their
lambs.
The wise men and God were interested
in the same star.
King Herod and God had designs on the
same throne.
Anna and God inhabited the same temple
waiting to give
thanks and receive thanks.
Simeon and God anticipated the same
Salvation for Israel
Joseph and God had an eye for the same
woman – and met
in a dream to work it all
out.
And Mary’s and God’s “fullness of
time” occurred at the same
time in the same place.
And
yet, each would have lived a life that was unknown and not-long-remembered by
more than one or two others…except…
for the unseen,
other-worldly,
cataclysmic events
that were occurring
simultaneously.
And
what of your “mundane” life? And what of the worldly events happening all
around you without your control? Could it be that God is doing something
unseen,
other-worldly
cataclysmic
and
simultaneous with you?
Could
I encourage you today to be an Anna or a Simeon? Could you commit yourself to
waiting on God? staying in His presence? not giving up with the passing of
time?
Could
I encourage you to be a Mary and allow God to do impossible things with you?
Could you be a Joseph and allow God to change the course of your life and
future history?
Like
Zacharias and Elizabeth, would you start life again at what the world considers
the end and produce a greater blessing for God – and the world?
Like
the shepherds, would you release your hands from this world’s busyness to bow
before God in adoration?
Or
like the wise men, would you allow God to re-chart your life and send you to
unknown places to supply needed gifts for the King?
Today,
no one thinks of these first century AD lives as mundane. Instead we wish we
had been there. We dream of what it would be like to be one of them. We give
God praise that each of them allowed God to invade their mundane-ness.
And
we take hope and are encouraged that God is also using us in a very significant
way. And He is!
“He that began a good work in you will
continue it until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
2 comments:
Wow, this is super encouraging and excellent writing!
'Mary’s and God’s “fullness of time” occurred at the same time in the same place.' Loved this!!
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