Treasuring Words

Luke 1:26-2:20, Matthew 1:18-25

Christmas Eve, December 24, 2005

Heritage Congregational Church, Madison, WI

What a beautiful night it is tonight! Each year we anticipate Christ’s coming and look forward to celebrating His birth on this special night. Our hearts are full as we experience the wonder, the joy and the miracle that is Christmas. For long ago on this night, our Savior was born. Emmanuel, God with us, came to earth in human form. And with His birth the course of human history was changed forever.

He came to us then and He comes to us now, urging us to listen to His teaching and follow His ways. Jesus encourages us to believe in Him and His being, that we may understand our Creator more fully. Most importantly, Christ comes to us that we might respond in love. As God loves us through Christ, we are to love God and one another. This is why He came, that we might love, for He is our hope, our peace, our joy and our love.

I often wonder about those present at the very first Christmas, and their response. How did they face the unknown with such faith and love? The Magi, the shepherds, Joseph and Mary—all of them were challenged to listen to a new revelation of God and respond in love. And they did. The Magi followed the star, the shepherds followed the call of the angels, Joseph was wed to Mary, in spite of her pregnancy. And then there is Mary.

In our scripture readings we have more text devoted to Mary’s response to the first Christmas than any of the others. She speaks, she sings, her emotions are recorded, and her thoughts shared. Each year, as the Christian world begins its journey toward this blessed night, we remember this story—how at Jesus’ manger bed the shepherds share what they have been told. All who are present are amazed. And Mary—she treasures all of the words which are spoken, and ponders them in her heart.

We know little about Mary. There is speculation about her parentage (Joachim and Anne), her place of birth (Jerusalem or Sepphoris) and her lineage (perhaps from that of King David, just like Joseph). We know much more about her actions following Jesus’ birth than before (finding her young son in the Temple, the wedding at Cana, her presence at the cross in one Gospel). But at this moment in time, at the time of Jesus’ miraculous birth, who is she and what is she like?

Mary is young—probably a teenager, that we know from the text, as well as from Jewish tradition. She was espoused to Joseph—really as good as married in that time and culture. We also know from the Lukan texts that she has an attitude of obedience toward God.

Think of a young girl, about to be married. If it is a welcome match, her heart is full as is her head. She is thinking about the wedding and all the arrangements that must be made. And she is a teenager—perhaps a typical teenager. Does anyone know a teenager whose head is not full of their own ideas and thoughts? Mary has plans for her life. She knows where her life is headed. She will be married and raise a family. She is devoting her time to preparation for her marriage. Her life is full. Is there room for anything more?

But Mary’s life is interrupted. An angel comes to her and says she will bear a son by the Holy Spirit. She will name Him Jesus and He will be the Son of God. Not only does Mary not have room in her life for this news, but the plan she has for her life is turned topsy-turvy. At first Mary is afraid of the news told her by the angel, but then she places her life in God’s hands. She makes room in her life for everything God has planned for her, and she trusts that God will take care of the many complications that will arise.

As the story of Mary’s pregnancy and Jesus’ birth continues, we find her openness to God expanding with each new event. Every passing day, Mary gives her best to God. In the presence of her cousin Elizabeth, Mary sings to the glory of God for the child she will bear. She willingly goes with Joseph where he will lead—90 miles on a donkey in her ninth month. And at the manger, Mary gives birth, welcomes strangers to her newborn son’s side and listens to all they have to say. She marvels at the greatness of God who has placed her here, and she treasures the words that speak of all that has happened. Mary does not merely accept, but she treasures what God has done, all because she made room in her heart for God’s plan instead of her own.

Like Mary, our lives are full. Even if we are not teenagers, and even if it is not Christmas time, our lives are full. We are scheduled to be in many places and our minds are filled with the items on our ‘to do’ lists. Our jobs, our families, our hobbies and loves keep us busy. We are passionate and tenacious about the many things that occupy our time, and strive to do our best. All of our energy is consumed with our own plans for the lives we lead. And when something is important to us, we make time for it, even if our lives are filled to the brim. I wonder what would happen if we did the same thing in our relationship with God?

Imagine if we did what Mary did. Her life was all planned out, but when God interrupted her, she responded in love. Mary allowed herself to be changed and used for God’s purposes. She let down all the barriers that might keep her from knowing God and surrendered herself. She emptied herself of her own ideas and plans to let God in. Mary did so much more than just make room in her life for God, she put herself aside and let God’s will take over.

It is Christmas time and once again, the wonder of this night works on our hearts. Christ comes to us, and asks us to make room in our hearts, in our minds, in our lives, for what God would have us do. For four weeks, during the season of Advent, we ponder these things (as Mary did). We realize our basic need for God in our lives. We relive the days leading to Christ’s birth. We thank God for the gift of grace found in the birth of His Holy Son.

At Christmas time we are caught up in the mystery and beauty of it all. And for a time, for tonight at least, we are inspired to make room in our hearts for Jesus. At this moment in time each year, we believe as Mary did, that we can turn our lives over completely to God and treasure the words of our own story with God. The miracle of Jesus’ birth helps us to come to this place of openness in our hearts.

But tonight is not the end. We do not just have this realization about what God would have us do with our lives and then go on with business as usual. Opening our hearts to God’s will for our lives is a life long process, and the feeling we have tonight is only the beginning. Each and every day we are given the opportunity to choose what is most important to us, how we will spend our time and our energy, to whom we will give our best. And as we struggle with this choice each day, Jesus is with us, coming into our hearts, offering us an abundance of life, giving us words we can treasure.