It's 5:30 a.m. and I am sitting in my family room in a stillness that only 5:30 a.m. can bring in a house full of teenagers who like to stay up late, especially with school not in session due to a snowfall yesterday. The only lights on are coming from our Christmas tree and a few pieces of a village collection I have acquired over the years. It's a stillness that I long for and have come to love and appreciate the older I get. It's a stillness where I love to meet with God and have the chance to really hear Him, ....a time where no other voices or distractions can drown Him out or distract my attention deficit mind. A cup of coffee sits next to me as I sit here pondering the Christmas story.....again.
I've attempted to be intentional this year about seeking God more through the month in the midst of a world that tries to rob Him of His glory at Christmas. Not because I'm "spiritual", cause I'm not. I enjoy many traditions at Christmas, just as much as everyone else does. No, it's just that I'm ending a year with Him that has had me on a journey of fresh faith and joy, and everything seems new again, and I don't want that to wane. I've realized the real joy of a relationship with God all over again in some amazing ways, and I realized how stale my life had gotten without that perspective. So, this year for Christmas, we've spent very little money, stayed away from malls as much as possible, bought fewer gifts, and tried to enjoy the presence of loved ones a little more. Another one of those ways has been reading and re-reading the Christmas story from the gospels, and asking God to allow me to see it with fresh eyes and a renewed heart. I continue to be amazed how many times I have heard andread the story of the birth of Christ through the years, and yet it just seemed so familiar, so common, ....so casual. Sad, huh? (I told you I'm not spiritual.) ;) I'm amazed at how another truth so divinely popped out to me, as I read Luke 2 this morning.
I normally study from an NIV study Bible, and make references to other versions or paraphrases occasionally. This morning I was taken back to my childhood, to a time where school plays actually consisted of the reading of Luke 2 from the King James version. It was very sweet.
"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that,while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered." Luke 2:1-6
Did you catch that? "...the days were accomplished that she should be delivered."
How many times have we read that, thinking that it only meant it was time for Mary to give birth? The NIV says "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born." The NAS says, "While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth." Many of the other versions word it quite similarly. This morning, I couldn't help but be awestruck by two things.
1. "The days were accomplished." What days? The days of her pregnancy? Well, yes, but even moreso, the days of waiting. Waiting for what? What was accomplished? A Savior that was promised. God's promise of a Savior goes all the way back to the beginning. Genesis 3:15 is the first reference of many Old Testament prophecies that Jesus, and only Jesus, fulfilled. There had then been 400 years of silence from God before the New Testament. No prophets had spoken. Just silence. I couldn't help but think in the silence of this morning, what that would have been like. You see, my silence here in this moment is only silence from the world....from televisions, activity, people, and life all around me. I still have the voice of God. No, He has never spoken audibly to me, but I have His Word, and I have His Spirit that teaches, guides, comforts,and hears me. To think that I would not have that almost steals my breath. Silence from God. The wait had to be difficult and long and many probably felt abandoned. THEN......."the days were accomplished"! The wait was over! The time had come! A word was spoken, and a Promise was coming!
2. "That she should be delivered." Again, we instantly think of giving birth, but I couldn't help but think that Mary was giving birth to her Deliverer. To our Deliverer. The One Who would come forth and redeem the world from sin. Our Rescuer and Redeemer was born! The time had come that WE should be delivered! God's time had now come to redeem all mankind from the penalty, power and ultimately the presence of sin if only we would receive Him as Savior.
"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir." Gal. 4:4-7
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14
Behold the wonder of Jesus at Christmas! May it never become just another fading story, but an amazing truth of our God, Who exchanged His life for ours, by coming as a humble baby, growing as a man, and then dying as a Savior. The time had come to pass that our Deliverer came to earth. Now, we wait again....for His second coming, but we do not wait without a certain hope. He was faithful to every prophecy, and He is faithful to all His promises. He will one day return! The days will be accomplished that we will be delivered!
Lord, may I never grow accustomed to this truth. Let me never grow familiar with your everyday work. Remind me not just to wait, but to eagerly anticipate that first day of deliverance and the one to come, and live my life in light of that. Amen.
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