The Unexpected God

This was the meditation I gave for the Wabash Presbyterian Church's Women's Christmas Dinner.  Perhaps it contains a message for you too.

As we take a moment for reflection, I'd like to begin with a story.

Allow me to introduce you to Mary Anne:  Mary Anne is a typical Northwestern girl, of average intelligence and good looks.  She enjoys nature and loves people, and she appreciates an eclectic variety of music, and of course, a good cup of coffee.  And though she may grumble a little to herself when she's in a hurry, in general she's glad that she lives in an area where a quick trip to the grocery store can easily turn into an hour, or an hour and a half, because you're bound to run into someone you know.  She's deeply rooted in the beauty and quirks of the culture of this region. 




Mary Anne is a recent college graduate - she worked hard for her degree and is proud to have her new diploma in hand.  Though she does not yet have a job in the other, she has a few promising prospects on the horizon, and is looking forward to getting out into the so-called "real world."  Regardless, she certainly has her hands full as she is planning a wedding!  She met a great guy named Joe her sophomore year through their mutual friends, and they began dating shortly afterward.  Early this spring he proposed and Mary Anne enthusiastically agreed.  Joe is nothing fancy, but he is kind and thoughtful, he listens to her, and respects her opinions and perspectives.  He loves Mary Anne immensely, and he makes her laugh.  She always enjoys life a little more whenever he's around.  In all, Mary Anne figures she's a pretty lucky girl.

One day, as she was siting at her computer - papers, and invitation & place card samples, and a general collection of wedding paraphernalia scattered across her desk - she heard a voice behind her.  She was almost startled, as she thought she was home by herself, but Scout and Ginger, the two family dogs, are of the exuberantly extroverted variety who never let an arrival go unannounced.  They were lounging in the den just outside her room and they would have let her know if anyone had snuck in on her.  She turned, trying to place the voice as she did so.  It was not a familiar voice, actually not really like any voice she had ever heard before, yet at the same time it was not un-familiar either.  As her chair finished its swivel, she found herself facing a figure sitting cross-legged on the end of her bed, facing her.  I say "figure" because though at first glance he appears very much like any average young man, a moment's more attention reveals something ... else... about him.  Something... well, unearthly.

"Hey Mary Anne.

         "No, don't be afraid!"

Well, he could say that!  ...as the moment of shock wore off, and the realization sunk in that someone, who had not been there a moment ago, a seemingly male someone, an unearthly someone at that, had suddenly ...appeared.  In her bedroom.  Without any notice or warning.  When she was quietly minding her own business, getting stuff done, making progress, moving forward in life.

"There's no need to be afraid Mary.  You are loved by our God."

... Yes, Mary Anne knew this; she was familiar with her Bible and the teachings of the faith.  But in that moment of stillness, she did not only know the truth of this message, but felt it as well.

"Mary Anne, God has a task for you.  Shortly, you will be pregnant.  And the baby will be a boy.  He will grow up to be a great world leader - one who will bring hope and a better way of life."

If Mary Anne's mind was not already reeling, it most certainly was now.  Pregnant!  Wait, what?!  Now?  That doesn't make any sense.  The wedding is not for several more months, and she knows for a fact that there's no chance that ... well, you know...

"What do you mean?"

The visitor chuckles softly to himself at her confusion.  "I know Mary Anne.  This will be a very unusual pregnancy.  But it is for a very unusual child.  The Holy Spirit will cause you to be pregnant apart from the natural process.  After all, nothing is impossible with God!"

All of the complicated factors and uncomfortable consequences clamored for her attention:  A surprise pregnancy... gosh, she hadn't really planned on being a mother for a while yet!  Babies are permanent and life-altering responsibilities!  How will she explain this to her parents?  What will other people think?  This is a small town after all!  Why right now, why not at least after the wedding?  And Joe, how would she explain this to Joe?

Yes, she had questions.  No, she did not understand.  But she figured she either trusted God or she didn't.

"All right.  I'll do it."

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  And the virgin's name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.  And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."


And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God.  And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who is called barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God."  And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."  And the angel departed from her.

God did not come to Mary at an expected time or with a convenient task.  But God did come to her.


God also comes to us.

Like Mary, not always when we expect or hope, sometimes anything but.

Advent and Christmas, the time of joyful anticipation, can often be hard in many ways.

Schedules fill quickly with the many festive gatherings, shopping to complete, plans to make, baking to do, closing out the year... The busyness presses down on us with stress, even if it is enjoyable stress.  Without realizing it, it is easy to squeeze out those moments of quietness in which we listen for God.

Or for others, the Christmas season is nothing but long, empty silences.  Something, or someone, is absent, and the vacancy swallows up everything else like a black hole.  If only God would come!  Come and fix what is missing...

Sometimes Christ speaks when we have not invited him to.  And sometimes he does not speak when we have.

We can be sure Mary experienced both:  her visit from the angel was certainly a disruption.  And during the time when Joseph was considering divorce, or during their long journey to Bethlehem late in her pregnancy, or when Herod was coming to kill Jesus, I'm sure she was wondering where God was then.

No, Christ is not convenient or predictable.  Sometimes he comes to us at times or in ways that we do not want, and other times he remains silent when we most long for him to speak.  But God does not leave us alone.

No, the Christmas story, while it tells us that God does not behave as we expect, demonstrates the magnitude of God's commitment to being Emmanuel, God With Us.  God does not remain distant in the heavens but joins us in the midst of our everyday human existence.  God has walked in our shoes.  Christ continues to walk beside us whether we sense him there or not.

I do not know the ways God has spoken or remained silent in each of your lives.  But I hope that all of us will remember to look for God in unexpected places this Christmas season, as we celebrate that we do not have a God who leaves us alone, but a God who is God With Us.

Gracious and loving God, we thank you so much for your Son.  We are so grateful that you do not leave us to manage and direct our lives on our own, but that you are always with us.  Lord we do not always understand what you are doing or how you intend to get us to where you want us to be.  Help us to trust you, and to be willing to respond as Mary did, accepting your guidance and love.

Amen 
 

The Annunciation, by Henry Ossawa Tanner, in 1898