Tuesday, December 10, 2013

The Tune of the Unknown



 I love Calvin Miller’s title for today’s Advent Devotion from his book, "The Christ of Christmas."

The Tune of the Unknown.  Years ago Renee and I visited Arlington National Cemetery in Virgina and stood at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was powerful display of discipline, patriotism, and gratitude. The message to us was that there will be no man or women who has served our country forgotten.

Luke 1:51-53 (NKJV)
51  He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52  He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 53  He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent  away empty.


The high and mighty rarely seek God’s help, so most of
His work is done by those with less reputation.


It doesn’t appear in Scripture that Mary saw herself as an almighty saint, but as a person of lowly status.  God was the Great One. Only He was mighty, exalting those of low degree.  Most of the great bible heroes would have been surprised to look down from heaven and see how venerated they became.  Perhaps no one was more surprised than Mary.  How she must have trembled at the Almighty’s request of her.

God’s will for her was not only hard to bear, but also impossible to explain.  Here’s what I love about Mary.  She didn’t wait until God’s plan was complete before she rejoiced.  She sang her Magnificat form the very first moments she yielded her life to God.

You will find that you may not complete all that God has for you to do in order to find your own joy.  Joy begins with the moment you begin to yield your life.  It is the “yes” moment, the moment you throw your reluctance overboard. You will feel praise welling up inside you.

Lord, today may you use the yielded.  Help me to yield to your will.  Help me to never think that I am somehow deserving of You.  Help me to realize that I cannot do anything major with minor trust.  Help me to say yes to you, so that my song can be, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.”

A Christmas to Remember!

I must say that I am a lousy blogger having not posted since September, but the Christ of Christmas certainly is worthy.  It has been a rema...