He Knows My Emotions
Scripture Reading: Luke 1:39-80
Meditation
Expectant mothers, more than others, are filled with emotion.
As they sit next to the empty-but-ready cradles, they dream God-sized dreams for their unborn children. They glow with anticipation. As the due date draws close, each mother-in-waiting rocks anxiously. But when the baby is born, joy rushes in. The promise is fulfilled. The dream-come-true lays its head, fast asleep, in its mother’s arms. The waiting is over. The time has finally come and the baby brings with it a song.
Mary’s a virgin yet she is about to become a first time mother. She’s expecting a child but she doesn’t know what to expect. Still startled and confused by all that the angel had said, she needs to talk to someone who might understand. The only one who might be able to believe the impossible annunciation from Gabriel is another in whom the impossible has been conceived—her cousin Elizabeth, the one who was once barren and said to be beyond years.
Mary is in her first trimester; her cousin, Elizabeth, is in her third. Both have divine expectations about the child within their wombs. One child is promised to be a prophet, the other the Messiah. As each child grows, so do the emotions. Joy mixes with anxiety. Happiness mingles with fear. And laughter continues to trade places with panic.
After Gabriel’s message, Mary immediately packs her bags. She scribbles a note for Joseph telling him where she’s going but she doesn’t tell him when she’ll be back. She doesn’t know if she’ll be back. When you’re an unwed, pregnant virgin said to be carrying the Son of God, who knows what the future holds? With worries as heavy as her bags, she begins the fifty-mile trip from Nazareth to Elizabeth’s home in Judea.
As soon as Mary enters Elizabeth’s house, the rhythm of a salvation song begins. John the Baptist, sixth months in his mother’s womb, is the first one to hear Mary’s voice. With a kick of recognition, he starts and keeps a steady beat up against the sides of his mother’s womb.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly …1
All Mary has the chance to do is shout a greeting. Before she can say a word about anything that has happened, Elizabeth, filled by the Holy Spirit and prompted by the driving beat set by her prenatal son, begins to sing,
“You’re so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed!
And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me?
Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true!” 2
The song is Spirit-strong. It calms Mary’s soul and soothes her spirit. Being further along in her pregnancy, Elizabeth seems to understand the plan that God has conceived. Her son, John, will be born first. He’ll be the forerunner, preparing the way for Mary’s son, Jesus. Together, their births will bring a redemptive song. Jesus will sing the melody and John the backup harmony.
Elizabeth’s song unearths the treasure that Mary has buried deep in her heart: this pregnancy isn’t a curse; it’s a blessing. In the months to come there may be many cultural consequences: an angry and accusing fiancé; the disgrace of divorce; whispers of gossip from the women gathered around the well; the shame and struggle of being a single parent.
This pregnancy may bring all sorts of burdens but—come what may—this child isn’t a burden to bear; it’s a blessing to embrace. What’s more, through this pregnancy, Mary will be blessed, blessed among all women.
Comforted by Elizabeth’s song, Mary begins her own.
“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.”3
When John is born three months later, Zechariah, his father, adds another stanza.
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he came and set his people free.
He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives, and in the very house of David his servant…”4
Throughout the centuries, Messianic expectations flooded the human soul with emotions. When the promise of Messiah was given to the Patriarchs, joy leaped. When its fulfillment was delayed, each generation grit its teeth and shook an angry fist heavenward. In the Exile, when the Promised Seed appeared to be all but lost, sorrow grabbed hold of the gut and doubled it over in grief.
Joy. Anger. Sorrow.
These are the emotions of those who were waiting for the Messiah. But when the Messiah finally comes, joy belts out a song. His birth fulfills all expectations and floods the emotions. And all those around him can’t help but sing a salvation song.
Reflection
What emotions mix and mingle with your faith?
When joy comes, what salvation songs do you sing?
Write your own song of praise.
Begin stanza one with, “I’m bursting with God-news …”
Begin stanza two with, “Blessed be …”
Prayer
Father,
Like the ancients of old, my emotions are tied to expectations. When good news comes, joy leaps and sings a song. When my dreams are frustrated, anger shakes a fist heavenward. When there is loss, sorrow grabs hold of my gut and grief stabs at my heart. These emotions are powerful. They’re external representations of my inner faith—a mirror of the depths of my heart. They’re spontaneous, authentic, reflexive reactions of my spirit.
During this day, when loss brings me sorrow, may the Christ child that lives in me give me hope. When pain brings me frustration, anger, or rage, may he grant me peace. Like Elizabeth, when the pleasure of a fulfilled promise brings me joy, may he gift me with a song. As I worship with all of my emotions, help me sing like Mary,
“I’m bursting with God-news …”.
And when I pray, add the harmony of Zechariah’s song,
“Blessed be …”.
Like the mother of God, may all that I do, all that I say, and all that I feel reflect the Christ child that lives in me. It’s in his name that I pray. Amen.
1Luke 1:41-42 2Luke 1:42-43,45 3Luke 1:46-49 4Luke 1:68-69
All Scripture references in the meditation are marked by italics and are taken from the Gospel reading for the day. Those verses quoted outside of the chosen reading for the day are noted. All Scripture quoted in this post is taken from THE MESSAGE: Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001 & 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.