The Wonder of Fresh Perspective

Why does Mary rejoice at being found with favor to bear the Son of God (Read Luke 1:26-56 for the background story)? Many of you probably have deeper insight than me, but here’s how I filtered it until recently. I’ve found significant joy in simple times alone with God where I have experienced him in uninterrupted communion. From that, I figure that if I were to be encountered by an angel, not only would I be dumbfounded, and likely face down on the floor, but the result of the experience would leave me elated and filled with praise. So, I read Mary’s song through this lens and find myself content with knowing that she met an angel and would be the mother of Jesus. 

At one level that’s beautiful, and probably not exactly wrong. It’s not so much that there is always wrong and right to biblical interpretation. Sometimes it’s more about depth. The bible is accessible at many different levels. Without any backdrop or context, we often will apply what we know to what we read in the bible. The Holy Spirit speaks to us, and we connect with Him. He either convicts, or excites us, or both, and we find ourselves in communion with Him. It’s a beautiful thing that the bible is accessible to everyone in this way. 

Yet, as we grow in faith, and dig deeper into the pages of scripture, we find even deeper meanings. There are endless layers to understand, each prompting us to be even more thankful for who God is. This is what is happening for me with Mary’s Song. Recently a professor of mine helped me see the depth of the yearning related to the waiting of her people that Mary was singing about. Contrary to what I have always subconsciously assumed, she wasn’t yearning to be a mother. Not that she wasn’t, either. But, at her age, and her place in life, becoming a mother was neither a worry, nor likely an immediate goal. So, what was she yearning about that caused her to erupt with joy? And why does her song make it into the bible? 

For that, you’d have to study the entire story of the Old Testament, which we’re not going to do here. Suffice it to say, the story of the Exodus is a good backdrop for the people. In Exodus 2:23 we read of a people crying out to God because of their oppression. Many of us know the story, that God heard them and ultimately delivered them, and some will also know the resulting song of “Miriam” (incidentally, probably Mary’s real name) in the Old Testament (Exodus 15:20). We could read of Hannah’s longing for a son in 1 Samuel, and God meeting her desire with the birth of Samuel. Her prayer is recorded in 1 Samuel 2 and provides similarities to Mary’s song that bears much deeper consideration. We could read about the oppression of the people during the Exile, and the deliverance of the people back to Israel, although always seemingly under the rule of someone else. Except for a brief period in the 2nd century B.C. under the Maccabees, all the people knew since the Exile was occupation, external rule, economic oppression, and struggle. Messiah was not just another idea to help them cope. Messiah was “THE” answer to their struggle throughout history. Messiah was going to deliver them. Messiah was going to restore the glory that was lost. Messiah was going to break the rod of oppression, set captives free, and liberate His people. At the heart of Mary’s song is a long history of yearning for liberation and hope in a Messiah. 

There is little to which we can compare this corporate struggle in our lives as few, if any, of us have lived under an occupied state. The closest we might come is by living in some way bound by circumstances that hold us back. It could be physical, psycho-social, emotional, relational, maybe economic, maybe an addiction, possibly related to family and the need to provide for them; you can fill in the blanks. Whatever type of situation that you feel helpless to overcome, that you feel powerless over and forced to surrender to...that might come close to the type of yearning happening in the heart of the people in the time of Mary’s song.

Mary’s song reveals a profound level of yearning for shalom (i.e. restoration to the peace-filled and wholesome way things should be). Mary can only rejoice in the way she does because of a deep recognition that the primary issue that has been insurmountable in her life, and the life her people, is going to change. Hope has been literally and figuratively conceived within her. Messiah, the long-awaited answer to all the trials, struggles and circumstances of life was going to be born; THROUGH HER! 

There’s much more to this story, but the takeaway for anyone reading this is to imagine how deep pain, longing and suffering can yield to hope and joy when the right answer is found. What are you longing for? For what have you been crying out for answers? There is only one answer that brings true shalom and His name is Jesus. Emmanuel, God with us! Mary’s song was not a personal response to a deep longing to be a mother. No! Mary’s song was rooted in the long lineage of people who were waiting for true liberation, peace, and justice. No other answer could have produced the joy that Mary expresses. It was rooted in a settled belief of a thorough answer to a heartfelt need. 

God can offer you the same hope through his Son Jesus Christ. We know the rest of the story, and so we don’t get stuck in the specifics. No, Jesus did not ultimately overthrow Rome politically or economically, at least not immediately. No, all oppression did not immediately end. The hope that Messiah brought, the hope that He represented, was one that was in partial fulfillment of the complete restoration of all things for all time. He showed what was possible for those that believe. As the angel declared to Mary, “with God, all things are possible” (Luke 1:38). That is our hope. We serve a God who is over all things. Nothing is impossible for Him. Our deepest yearnings can be taken to Him and He will give us strength, hope, and peace in the midst of it all with the knowledge that our troubles are temporary in view of eternity. 

It’s not hard to express why this is hopeful or why Mary was so excited. A fresh perspective and unbounded hope do that to you. But after a few go-arounds with hope, and when hope keeps being deferred, it is difficult to rally the energy to experience its life-changing effects again. That is the challenge for us this Christmas. It is the challenge of confronting our sense of hopelessness, our resignation to the trials we’re facing, and to not simply trudge along without conviction that God is who He says He is. I declare to you today that the same God who sent Gabriel to Mary, the same God who heard His people cry out from Egypt, the same God who created you and me and all that we see, is the same God who we celebrate and call our savior, Jesus. He is the same today as He has always been. His promises never fail. Our circumstances in this life may not compare to our biggest dreams and goals, and our experiences may have dashed some of our hope. Advent reminds us to hold onto to hope none-the-less. As he appeared once before, so shall He appear again. And when he does, what we have hoped for will pale in comparison to what He will do. We will ultimately rejoice, but oh that we would recognize the opportunity to rejoice even now because of who He is. He is worthy of all of your joy and hope. Take your heaviest burdens to Him and trust Him to help you gain a fresh perspective and renew your hope. 

May this Christmas restore and renew your hope, and may you find true joy in the coming year as you experience Emmanuel, the Messiah afresh and anew!