Mary's song.

And Mary said:

46 “My soul glorifies the Lord

I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise. 

I live and breathe God;

if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:  Psalm 34:1 - 2

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Christ Jesus our hope 1 Timothy 1:1
This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 1 Timothy 2:3

48 for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar. Psalm 138:6
From now on all generations will call me blessed,

As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”  Luke 11:27
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
you who have done great things.

Who is like you, God? Psalm 71:19
holy is his name.

He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.

Psalm 111:9
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.

but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:6

But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—

Psalm 103:17
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things;
his right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.

Psalm 98:1
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
Isaiah 40:10

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.

for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:9
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful

He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel;
all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Psalm 98:3
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

The Lord swore an oath to David,
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne. Psalm 132:11

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”[a]meaning one person, who is Christ. Galatians 3:16

Luke 1:46 - 55

The Message:

"And Mary said,

I’m bursting with God-news;
I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened—
I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now."

Luke 1:46 - 55

And this is how I feel. Brought down, trodden on, humbled... the only 'out' is to look up in hope....

Make every effort

1 Peter 5:5  In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you,  with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favour to the humble.”

I had misread the reference and thought I was looking at 2 Peter 1:5 which begins 'make every effort'...
Suitable, I had thought. I had woken up weary, having to remind myself to 'live joyfully' and 'make every effort' to live a life pleasing to Jesus, rather than dragging myself up.

But this verse also reminds me to 'make every effort'. To make an effort to be submissive to my leaders and to be humble towards others. I love where Paul says in the Scriptures
'clothe yourselves'...

clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14

For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:53 - 54

Meanwhile we groan,longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 2 Corinthians 5:2 - 4

for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:27

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

And so, as I get up, somewhat weary and discouraged, I can remind myself to 'clothe myself' with Christ, above all his humility. Today, this morning, I don't need to 'make EVERY effort', although later I will. I need to get up, get dressed, and clothe myself with Christ. 

Then, and only then, will I be able to live my life out in the good and certain knowledge of his will. 
Starting with being humble towards others.

Humble

So, following on from 'the last will be first and the first will be last.' The disciples had given up their lives to follow Jesus. They had left all that was familiar and safe but Jesus had promised them the world: the kingdom of heaven, and how they would be rewarded with far more than they had given up.

Yes, when I 'feel' as if I am really following Jesus, being obedient to his example and commands, it really does feel 'heavenly'. A deep sense of rightness in my spirit and a heartfelt joy that is not possible to get with material possessions.

Presumably the disciples felt like that, too, but they were also clouded with material desires, hoping that Jesus would be the promised Messiah who would lead the Jews to regain their kingdom and independence once again and be a nation in their own right, not ruled by foreign invaders as had happened for hundreds of years.

So Jesus again tells what seems like a harsh parable: the story of the labourers in the vineyard, where those who did the least work received as much as those who did the most.
An image of the kingdom indeed, where those who come late inlife to God are as gladly accepted as those who have served God all their lives.

I'm with the disciples. It seems in one sense hard when those who have lived sacrificially receive the kingdom of God in the same way as those who have lived selfishly. It shows I do not really understand grace - this incredible gift of 'rightness' with God which he has given through Jesus.

Because, if I REALLY REALLY DID, IT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD TO ME AND NOTHING ELSE WOULD MATTER.

I liken being in the kingdom to being part of a wonderful royal household: the castle stands, magnificently turreted with a huge, protective wall around it, on a hill above the surrounding countryside. It is not possible to get inside - even to visit - unless you are a member of the royal household. The humblest servant girl, the one who sweeps the ashes out of the fireplace and is at the beck and call of everyone, serves in delight because she is accepted into the royal entourage. She is privileged to have a place which is the envy of all those outside.

This is what Jesus wants us to understand: he himself was called to sacrifice his own life for others and so, immediately after he tells the disciples of his forthcoming death, when the mother of James and John asks for positions of privilege for her boys, It is even more shocking.

And then he gives sight to two blind beggars who, indeed, are the lowest of the low. He restores them to the ranks of the 'normal' through his mercy.

How much does it take for me to realise how humble I need to be to enter the kingdom?

Ponderings

I look at the blog posts I have written, and wonder about myself. I wonder how I can write about truth, write truth, when I am stumbling in the dark.

On days like this, I am not even sure that God loves me.

I know He says He loves me, but I know I am not worthy. Then I feel ashamed, embarrassed even, at denying what Jesus did with his terrible death. I know he died for me, and in some way, denying the application of his death to my life, I try to diminish it.

Oh miserable woman that I am, who can save me from myself?  "It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge..."

Those parts of me are named Insecurity, Fear, Doubt, Shame, Embarrassment, Hate, Envy...

"I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?"

"The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different." (Romans 7:25)

However, as the next verse says: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death."

All that is left for me is to banish pride, accept humility and walk humbly with my God. To become like a little child again, starting off anew...

God's plans

The plot thickens...first Esther is chosen to join the king's harem, now Mordecai has a job at the palace. How did he manage that? He has already shown himself to be astute; now, perhaps, he worked his way into the palace in order to be nearer Esther.

The Living Bible says: "Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official, Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home."

A known relative of an important person would have expected to be given a favourable position at the palace, but Mordecai's position was relatively lowly, as his duties were at the gate to the palace or the entrance to the women's harem. Here, he could keep in closer contact with Esther; and here, he discovered a plot by disgruntled servants to kill the king.

Esther was the king's wife, his possession...but it was not marriage as we know it. Xerxes had already demonstrated a lack of mutual respect and trust in his marriage to Vashti, and Esther follows this tradition, keeping her family background secret and following Mordecai's instructions. Yet, when the plot against the king's life was discovered by Mordecai, he told Esther and then SHE told the king. Did the king then ask her how she knew, and, perhaps, as she admitted that Mordecai had told her, what the relationship was? Did the secret come out?  Or was Mordecai still just a lowly servant? He certainly doesn't seem to have received any reward for his service.

Here, again, we see how God uses this unpropitious circumstances to work things together for good: the plot is discovered, the perpetrators disposed of and Mordecai's service in this respect is recorded in the official record books. (Esther 2:19 - 23)

Proverbs 19:20 reminds: "Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life." Accepting advice means admitting that we need it; we need help; we have to humble ourselves.

Not always easy...

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God...

I've been thinking about Ephesians 1:17-22: The Message puts it like this:I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything. At the center of all this, Christ rules the church. 

With such awesome power, why am I not in total awe, struck dumb and motionless - he is King of Kings, Lord of Lords, absolute ruler of all.  In the face of such might, petty squabbles and dissatisfactions are like a blot on the face of his beauty. They assume so much importance that they loom in front of my face, obscuring him who is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the lord of all...It is as if I block out the sun by holding a small insignificant object close to my face...in the same way, I block out God's mighty power by holding close to me my petty grudges, resentments, difficult relationships, unhappy memories...
I am reminded of 1 Peter 5:6 which says in the Message: God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.
live carefree. Care free. Not letting "death nor life, angels nor demons, the present nor the future, nor any powers, height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)
Now, there's a thought!