God Speaks to Us...Often in Unexpected Ways.

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you may now dismiss your servant in peace.

30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,

31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and the glory of your people Israel.”

33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Luke 2: 25-35

Continuing with the passage of Scripture above, I just want to emphasise how God speaks to us in the most unexpected ways.  He is not limited.  I think, often, we are the ones who limit Him.  He has no boundaries!  And Praise Him for that!  There is no prescription or procedure to follow in order for us to hear Him.  Of course, staying tuned into the whisperings of the Holy Spirit and keeping an attitude of never-ceasing prayer are the most conducive states of being to receive God's messages most effectively.  But, I believe, that when God wants to speak, even the most reluctant of ears will hear Him.  Even non believers can't help but hearing Him when He decides to address them.  Look at Hagar.  She was an Egyptian slave, and the Angel of the Lord, Himself, came to her directly and spoke to her face to face.  No second-hand message there!

At any rate, my point here is, keeping our ears and all our senses, really, pointed towards Heaven, like powerful satellites, will help, but never discard the unexpected.  Like Mary and Joseph.  I mean, really!  Their lives went from unexpected to bizzare!  If Mary was anything like me...which she probably wasn't... AT ALL...but just for kicks, let's pretend that we have a bit of the maternal commonality going on... by the time she was taking Baby Jesus to the temple, she was hoping things had calmed down a bit, and that she could just fall into some kind of routine with her infant:  "Ok, after the temple, we'll go home, I'll give the baby a bath...gotta keep the germs away, and the Almighty only knows how many germs most be at that place! then, HOPEFULLY, he'll take a nap, so I can take one too (wishful thinking!) maybe get dinner going...and maybe...only maybe...Joseph can finally fix that leak under the kitchen sink...I mean, jar...or basin..."

I'm sorry, I'm really digressing.  The point I've been trying to make ... very inefficiently...is, life is full of divine encounters!  And we never know when or through whom God will deliver an important message to us.  Therefore, we are called to seek wisdom and make our ears attentive, for we don't know when we might be in the presence of a messenger. But, don't be too hard on yourself if life catches you by surprise.  It happens!  We are easily distracted.  We are humans.  That's exactly why we need Jesus...

Next time, we will see what else Simeon spoke to Mary and how that might have impacted her young soul.  For now, I pray the Lord will help us keep Proverbs 2: 1-5 in mind:

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

God's Messages Through the Mouths of Fellow Believers

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,

you may now dismiss your servant in peace.

30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,

31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and the glory of your people Israel.”

33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Luke 2: 25-35

Have you ever heard the voice of God?  I've always wondered how He might sound like...I guess I've imagined His voice to be really deep and rather scary...thunderous... the thing is... I have never heard God's voice, audibly, you know? like I can hear my children or my husband (well, sort of...they say I'm losing my hearing abilities...note to self:  get a hearing test this year).  However, I can honestly say I have heard God's messages through the words of my fellow believers.

I have had sisters in Christ praying over me words that are truly inspired and straight from the Holy Spirit!  I have had my husband speak words to me that leave me in awe and astonished (don't tell him) because I know they contained messages God sent me directly through him.  I have even had my kids say things to me that cannot come from any other place than from the Heavenly Helper living inside of them.  Out of the mouths of babes, alright... (Matthew 21: 16)

I believe that God can speak to His children audibly if He'd chose to do so, of course!  He can also speak to us through whispers and thoughts, and obviously, through Scripture.  But I also believe that, more often than not, He uses believers and even non-believers, God can use anyone, really, to speak to us.  Like He did with Mary and Joseph.  We know how both of them had direct, divine encounters with heavenly beings in person and in dreams.  They also had, however, believers speak messages to them that God wanted them to hear.

In the long passage above, we see Simeon.  The Holy Spirit was on him and had revealed wonderful things that he passed onto Mary and Joseph as they entered the temple to consacrate Jesus.  Simeon took the Baby in his arms and, WOW...the words that flew out of his mouth are words not just for Mary and Joseph, but for all of us, thousands of years later.  I mean, he spoke about how Jesus came to reveal Himself to the gentiles!  The gentiles!  A Jew talking about a revelation to the gentiles!  That's us!

Anyway...we will continue exploring the words of Simeon, but for now, I just want to end here and ponder:  Do I pay attention to the words spoken to me by my fellow believers?  Do I really listen to them when they talk to me inspired words in the day-to-day?  In the distractions of my life, am I tuning in to the messages God is sending to me through others? Am I ignoring His "texts"?

Dear Lord, may we be able to say that, "my eyes have seen Your salvation," and that my ears have heard Your voice in the mouths of others! Amen!

A Season of Pondering and Praising!

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2: 19

The holiday-blues...we've heard about it, haven't we?  We might have even experienced a version of it.  I know I have and I am.  Today is the first day back to school for my kids and back to work for my husband after a glorious Christmas break! The house is empty and quiet for the first time in over a week.  And, although I do treasure the stillness...I look at the unlit Christmas tree and nativity, and my heart aches...

I love Christmas!  I love the decorations and the cooking and the time together, cooped up in the house, having nothing to do or nowhere to go, watching and endless selection of Christmas movies, eating until I'm so stuffed I can't sleep, waking up late, smelling the scented candles, wrapping up presents, finding creative ways to keeping them hidden from the kids, anticipating their looks when they finally open them on Christmas morning, receiving Christmas cards (being upset that I didn't send any myself)...all of it!  I love it all! And that's why the after Christmas-blues usually hits me hard on a day like today...when all seems over and done...

The mere thought of having to take down the decorations makes me tear up...

However, this year, I want to take a different approach to the post holidays.  I want to look at this time as a season on itself.  I want to make it a season of pondering.

hmmm...

When I read Luke 2: 19 I see Mary's version of the holiday blues...and I see the way she handled it:  by treasuring it all up and pondering it in her heart...and that's what I want to do!  I want to spend time savoring the experiences.  I might have been too busy and distracted during the actual events to even take time to reflect on them...so now it's when!  And I certainly didn't ponder much in between cookies, candy canes and wrapping paper...so today is the day!  

Today is the day to look back at the treasured memories and ponder how great God truly is!  And not because He gave me a new IPad (which I am truly treasuring, btw) but because He gave me Jesus! And it is through Jesus that all is possible:  my sons, my husband, my house, my job, my loved ones, my life and my salvation...

I'm sure Mary was confused about the future of her young family and of her newborn son...I'm sure among the many things she pondered was the uncertainty of it all...but I'm also sure that as she fixed her eyes on that Baby she was holding, all her pondering turned into praise!

And that's what I want to do as well:  I want my pondering to lead me to praising Him above all else!

Sigh...

So, as I put every figurine of the nativity scene back into their boxes, put the Christmas movie collection away, and vacuum the dust that has accumulated since late November, I want to ponder until my heart burst into worshiping and thanksgiving!  Praised be the Name of the Most High!  Praised be the Morning Star!  Praised be Our Emmanuel!  

A New Song for the New Year

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. 

Luke 1: 46-56

Mary's words after Elizabeth's greeting, called Mary's Song, are very special to me.  My Mother used to say that these words were very powerful.  Of course they are, they are Scripture!  They were inspired words that young Mary recited moved by the miraculous events that had just happened in her life and by the impact of the Baby growing inside of her.  She might not have understood the immensity of it all, but she couldn't help being completely in awe of it...how could she not?  So the words flew out of her mouth like a divine song placed in her soul by the presence of God in her.

There is praise, remembrance and humility in this song. Mary praises and gives the highest glory to God as her heart rejoices in recalling what He has done for generation after generation, for Israel, but for her as well.  She humbly accepts the plan of God for her life as she magnifies the Mighty One for all the things He has done for her and for all who fear Him.

That's what I want to be like!  That's how I want to react when God challenges me with a life-turn that I don't fully understand.  I want to have a new song in my heart so instead of complaining and fearing, I could reply with singing and rejoicing!

The new year approaches with leaps and jumps...so...it's time for me to think of a word that will inspire my 2019.  I think about my 2018 word:  PEACE...and, although I still need His peace (I will never have enough of it...I don't think...) I would like to welcome the new year in a spirit of humility.  Like Mary, I want to be humble enough to surrender my plans to Him and accept what He gives me...even if it does't look like what I was imagining.  I want to be humble enough to acknowledge that He is in control, not me.  I want to be humble enough to be grateful for the blessings, even if they seem to be in disguise.  I want to be humble enough to receive His love, even if I don't think I deserve it.  I want to be humble enough to cherish His will...even when it differs from mine.

I want to be free from pride and arrogance in 2019.  I want to be humble in everything I do.

May the Holy Spirit speak to all of us this New Year's eve and guide us every day in 2019 so we can easily find our way...the way that He has designed for us to walk on with Him by our side.

Jesus Speaks to Women: Luke 1

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” Luke 1: 39-45

Have you ever spoken words that you don't know where they are coming from?  Have you ever said something to a friend in need, which, when you think back, you have no idea how you had the insight of mind to say such things?  Have someone ever told you, "remember when you said such and such to me? I really needed to hear those words!" and you are like, "did I say that?"?

I believe that the Holy Spirit could speak through the mouths of believers when we are open to become a channel for The Word.  Again, I'm not a theologian or a teacher of the Word, but I believe that we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit! (1 Corinthians 3: 16-17, 1 Corinthians 6: 19) And that His indwelling makes us God's children. (Romans 8: 14)  His presence empowers us to be His witnesses! (Acts 1: 8)  And I believe these words are as true today as they were when they were written.  Therefore, I believe that we are capable of speaking words inspired by the wisdom that only the Holy Spirit can provide:

10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 1 Corinthians 2: 10-13

The Holy Spirit is our connection, our direct connection to the Father and the Son.  That is the miracle, God in us!  That is the gift, the Holy Spirit living in us!  And as such, how can He be silenced?

Just like Elizabeth couldn't help but to jump into such speech when she encountered the presence of the Unborn-God-Incarnate, we can too, speak inspired words at the precise right moment.  Just like Elizabeth said exactly what young-troubled Mary needed to hear through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, we too, can be the instruments through which the Holy Spirit helps and comforts a sorrowful soul.  Not even the unborn, John the Baptist could keep from leaping from joy at the presence of the Son of God...imagine, what the Holy Spirit would do for us, while He is in us and if we are willing to allow Him to work through us.

When I don't know what to say...which is pretty much all the time, I invoke the Holy Spirit.  That's the only way I can have peace after speaking or saying anything.  Because I trust He is the One speaking through me, in spite of my imperfect words...I pray, that before I communicate, I call on Him first...always!

Dear Lord, allow us to be in such fine tune to Your frequency that our words communicate Your wisdom and Your message when we speak!  Amen!

Jesus Speaks to Women: Luke 1

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.  Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. 

Luke 1: 34-38

We arrive at the moment when Mary finally gathers enough strength to utter some words...and, of course, those words reflect her astonishment at the whole scenario.  Some wonder why Mary wasn't scolded by Gabriel the way Zechariah was.  I don't pretend to know, but my guess is that when Zechariah replied to Gabriel's news with:  “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Luke 1: 18  his words implied a certain hint of doubt.  "How can I be sure of this?"  I need a satisfying explanation here.  I need to be convinced.  I need to be sure...I must not be taken as a fool...I need some proof...I need evidence...I need certainty...sigh...

Boy, have I been there?  I have God healing me, and I keep on questioning.  I have God providing, and I keep being afraid of scarcity.  I have God comforting me, and I keep feeling miserable.  How can I be sure the healing is real?  How can I be sure I am not alone? How can I be sure I will be taken care of?  How can I be sure I will be OK?  How can I be sure it will work out well?

I am not a Bible scholar or a theologian, but I sure recognize Zechariah's words as they have been my own many times...sigh...

Mary doesn't doubt.  She knows what Gabriel has said will happen.  She is just wondering, "how will it be?"  She is wondering about the methodology, the logistics if you will...she is a curious girl, right?  And God allowed room for her inquiry.  It was a valid question, after all.  So Gabriel proceeded to disclose the plan.  And, tucked into the announcement of her miraculous conception, was also a piece of news that will give Mary a moment of respite, "even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”  I see this information as God's mercy towards Mary.  He knew how difficult this would be for her, and how hard the days will be when people would find out about her pregnancy, so, for now, He offered her a moment to have peace, gather her thoughts and be with someone who would understand what she was going through without judging her.

At God's mercy and favor, Mary found no other way to respond than with utmost humility:“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”   

Please, Lord, may you give us your strength, peace and clarity of mind to respond to You like Mary, with humility, trust and obedience rather than with doubt and worry when You ask what seems to be impossible from us or when the odds are insurmountable from our eyes.  

Jesus Speaks to Women: Luke 1

31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 

Luke 1: 31-33

Imagine being Mary and receiving the news that you will be the vehicle that will carry the One Who will alter the course of human history!  Imagine being Mary and receiving the news that will alter the course of your life...

Who would believe her?  Who would believe her when she'd say, "yes, I'm pregnant...but I've been faithful.  I'm still pure. I'm still a virgin.  This Child is of God!"  Would you believe her? or would you think she is just a young jewish girl who has been found out and decided to concoct a lie to safe her skin?

What would you have done if you were among the villagers?  Would you have gossiped once you found out about Mary's delicate condition?  Would you have shunned her?  Would you have supported her stoning?  Would you have been quick to judge her?  Would you have secretly rejoiced in her misfortune?  Would you have had compassion...mercy...humility?

I don't know what I would have done?  I know the rest of the story, so it is easy for me to think I would have understood and showed love.  But, had I been one of the women in town...I'm sure I would not have been much understanding.  I don't think I would have kept an open mind.  I don't think I would have had the humility to offer her a chance to explain and a chance to believe her.  I'm a trigger-happy judge.  I pronounce harsh opinions on people at the slightest slip.  But then, I ask for leniency when I'm the one tripping.  I don't know if I had believed Mary.  Most likely, I would have not.

I probably would not have taken the time to really look at Mary and see the glory of God shining through her.  I probably would not have had the patience to really listen to her words, long enough to realize they were Holy-Spirit inspired.  I would have probably missed the miracle because my head was too immersed in the things of this world.  

The Lord chose Mary to carry on this most special mission for Him, and He protected her from people like me...

I pray that, when my time to witness a miracle comes, I don't miss it because I don't know how to look at life through the eyes of faith.  Please, Dear Lord, enable us to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with You all of our days. (Micah 6: 8)  Amen!