“John “will be great”, but his relative Jesus is going to be greater. John’s mother had been unable to conceive a child, but Jesus’ mother will be a virgin. John “will be filled with the Holy Spirit … before he is born”, but Jesus will be conceived by the Holy Spirit. John will “make ready a people prepared for the Lord”, but Jesus is the Lord.” Carla Harding Lectio 365 team.

My reflection is not on a passage of scripture but a reflection on someone else’s reflection. 
Reflecting  on Luke 1:13-17, Carla reflects on the differences in the persons who are a part of that first Advent story.  These persons are at opposite ends of various patterns.  The women Elizabeth and Mary, different experiences of motherhood. One, old, and wondering why is this happening in her old age.  The other, young and wondering why is this happening to her so soon and in such a way. She is not even married. 

Look at Jesus, John, and the experience of the Holy Spirit. 

It doesn’t matter where or who we are in life. We are all able to experience the divine.  God gives each of us a task when we are sent into this world. The task is to ensure that Gods will be done.  All things are to work for God’s honour and glory. Life  doesn’t always seem, or feel that way. 

These 4 persons received jobs that would have made them uncomfortable.  If Elizabeth was Jamaican, she would have been called a mule all her years of marriage.  Then, to become pregnant in her old age, she would be the laughing stock at the prenatal clinics. The younger women would have a field day with snide remarks.  As I always observe, older people  usually do not have the energy to keep up with toddlers.  Her pregnancy would be the cause of much embarrassment.  In Luke 2, it says she hid for 5 months.  Was this hiding in embarrassment, or was it divine intervention to ensure that the fetus developed securely in an older womb?
Mary is  a pregnant teen, involving herself in adult matters and who gets caught. 

Neither situation is comfortable.  Yet God is in the midst.  God is using these times of discomfort to do his work.  It is not only John who prepared the way.  These ladies also prepared the way.   I reflect on the many uncomfortable situations I have faced as an emissary of God. There are things I would rather forget than think about.  None of them on the grand scale like Mary or Elizabeth, but never the less, they didn’t feel good.

Mary and Elizabeth show us that God acts through us and walks with us at all times.  When life throws us lemons, God helps us make lemonade. 

It says to me that no matter what is happening, we should not give up hope. We should not despair. Romans 8:31 says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” These words are truly comforting.  They are not, however, saying that because God walks with us, it is ok to abuse any privilege we have. We are still required to be just love mercy and humble.

God is always with us, even in those embarrassing moments. God is faithful. Romans 8:38-39 says No thing can separate is from God’s love.  “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We belong to God. God loves and cares for us as we struggle with the ups and downs of life.  We just have to trust him and take God at his word.  As always, I pray that you and I will have the strength and wisdom to remain faithful no matter what.