Word to the Wise
Monday, December 19, 2022 - December 19
[Judg 13:2-7, 24-25a and Luke 1:5-25]An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, "Though you are barren and have had no children, yet you will conceive and bear a son. Now, then, be careful to take no wine or strong drink and to eat nothing unclean. As for the son you will conceive and bear, no razor shall touch his head, for this boy is to be consecrated to God from the womb. It is he who will begin to the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines." [Judges] "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neigher wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. [Luke]
The improbable (except for divine intervention) pregnancies that produced Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist and Jesus will appear in the next few "countdown days" to Christmas. (The stories of Sarah/Isaac and Rebecca/Joseph in Genesis didn't make the cut!] The gospel evangelists saw everything in Jesus' life as fulfillment of a greater plan of salvation revealed in the Old Testament and framed their own "annunciation" stories in much the same way. The woman is barren. An angel comes with the news of pregnancy despite the obstacles and promises the child will do great things. The Gospel According to Luke gives us parallel accounts for John the Baptist and Jesus!
All of this could seem a long time ago in a faraway land were it not for the witness of the apostles, which the gospels were meant to accompany. The story continues in our own preaching in this season and after. We will proclaim, "Christ is born," just as the angels did at Jesus' birth! We can stand with the Magi and the shepherds (and any animals in the scene) and marvel at the providence and love of God manifested in the baby in the manger. The special "countdown days," identified simply by the dates help to create the nativity drama. We can create the stage with our nativity scenes and remind ourselves and family and friends of God's providence in this season! AMEN