The people of Israel were living between the Roman occupation and oppression of their land and King Herod, their immoral tyrant of a King. There are many ways the people of Israel could have responded to living in such desperate times. Mary and Elizabeth model for us the way God wants his people to respond. From their words and actions it’s clear they immersed themselves in Holy Scripture. In the psalms and the writings of the prophets they found God’s compassion and mercy. In the Word of God they found hope in the promises of God to come and deliver them from evil. Almost every word of Mary’s beautiful song is a quotation of scripture. Elizabeth’s child is John the Baptist and his preaching will echo Mary’s song.
Mary and Elizabeth are far from naïve. There is yet to come much pain and sorrow in their lives. Why then could they speak with such excitement and joy about a child who then was still thirty weeks from birth? I believe they could celebrate with such uninhibited joy because they knew they were participating in God’s plan of salvation. In their reading of the scriptures they met the God of Creation who is the Holy One, the Powerful One, the Faithful One, the Merciful One, and the One who is Love for all of His creation. When they realized God was literally moving within them to fulfill his promises, their spirits responded with words of reverence and joy; the words of scripture.
When I read Mary’s song I think of that most beautiful of sonnets, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnet XLIII. It begins “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach . . .”
My present for Jesus’ birthday will be my sonnet. I’ll write Jesus a sonnet beginning with the words, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” I’ll fill in the remaining lines with the many ways, grounded in scripture, I have experience God my Savior.
I’ve never written poetry, so this will be a poem that only Jesus could love. But, it will be my expression of love for the One who set me free from sin and death.
What word or phrase in these verses
attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?
24-Dec-11 Luke 1:57-80
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