Abbey Christmas: Joy Week 1 Day 2

Day 2: Joy - Gabriel 

Text: Luke 1:5-17

Zechariah was an old man.  He felt the aches in his joints and bones that only come from a life that has been well worn.  Perhaps his vision was growing a bit blurry and his hair a bit whiter. He was a dutiful priest, regularly serving in the temple to offer prayers and sacrifices.  Maybe he considered it an honor to publicly identify with the Lord and a privilege to labor on behalf of God’s people. He was also happily married; Elizabeth was a godly woman who was faithful and lovely.  He lived a normal Judean suburban life - church, work, marriage.

But there was a core sadness to Zechariah and Elizabeth.  Something was obviously and palpably missing from their lives.  They had no children. Elizabeth was tragically barren and Zechariah was devoted enough to her to not look for alternative options.  Children were everything in Zechariah’s culture. Not only did they represent family, memories, and status, but children were social security; they took care of you when you aged.  So Zechariah and Elizabeth’s home was no doubt quiet, a deafening reminder of the absence of what could have been.

Zechariah dutifully entered the temple alone to burn incense and before his eyes - could it be? - a terrifyingly majestic angel appeared.  The angel Gabriel reassures an understandably terrified Zechariah to not be afraid, but rather that he and Elizabeth should expect a son. Gabriel announces, “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.”  

No one saw this coming.  A child from an elderly, barren woman?  But when dealing with the God of the Bible, you should learn to expect the unexpected.  You should expect life to burst out of barrenness (even virginity and a grave!). Expect light to erupt from darkness.  Expect sadness to give way to joy and cynicism to hope. 

Religion is so harmful because it depicts God as dreadfully boring and predictable.  But Christmas reminds us that God is endlessly surprising us and catching us off guard.

Reflection

Morning Pause:  In what area of your life have you stopped expecting God to show up?

Afternoon Pause:  In what ways do you see God as formulaic and predictable?

Evening Pause:  Did you experience wonder today?  Why or why not?