Mary

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Mary’s “Yes”

Posted by Jim Thornber on December 23, 2015
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion. Tagged: , , , , , , . 1 Comment

“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” – Luke 1:38

Mary 2This is the scene: Some time after the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, but before they   consummated the marriage, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that God chose her to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah.

This is the question:  “How this is possible, since I’m a virgin?”

This is the answer: “The power of the Most High will overshadow you, so the baby to be born will be called the Son of God.”

This is the consequence: According to the Law in Deut. 22:23-24, death by stoning for adultery. According to Gabriel, the birth of God-with-Us.

This is the response: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

This is what bothers me: I don’t know if I would have been as brave as Mary.

Some of you may remember the stigma that once surrounded a girl who was pregnant out of wedlock. Although now in the United States, where more than a million teenage girls get pregnant out of wedlock, Mary’s predicament loses some of its force. However, imagine that the penalty for this infraction is death by stoning, while the girl is claiming to be a virgin and that the Father is the Lord God Almighty. (Now, imagine how Planned Parenthood, the Religious Right and the ACLU would fight over that scenario!)

I also find it interesting that after hearing such a magnificent announcement about bearing the Savior of the world, Mary has something simpler on her mind:  “How this is possible, since I’m a virgin?” It seems that no matter how hard we try, we always filter our faith through the facts. And the fact is this: Mary’s simple acquiescence to the Lord’s request would forever change the life of a poor teenage girl from a backwater town in Israel. It would also change the world.

However, a work of God is a two-edged sword, coming with both great joy and great pain. After considering the repercussions, Mary simply says “Yes” to God. This is one of the things that I really like about Mary: She was the first person to accept Jesus on His own terms, regardless of the personal cost. Mary said, “Be it done according to what you’ve said.” She weighed the knowledge of being an outcast in her home, and chose obedience and submission to God over comfort and acceptability. That should be a challenge to all of us.

Mary also responds with a song that we have come to call The Magnificat. A song like Mary’s comes from a heart that practices praising God—from a life that is faithful to worship God in the good times as well as in the bad times. And this was definitely one of those good times/ bad times events. Being the bearer of the Son of God was going to be a mixed blessing, for with this honor came deep pain and a tremendous responsibility. At the circumcision and consecration of Jesus, Simeon said, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34). Remember, nothing significant is accomplished for the Kingdom of God without great sacrifice.

But as Mary sacrificed her will and  her body to carry Jesus within her, we now have the same privilege. God has handpicked each one of us to live with the same purpose as Mary – to bring Jesus alive into the world.

God created our bodies to be a home for His Spirit, a sacred vessel through which He makes Himself known to our families, friends, and co-workers, in our homes, in our schools, at our jobs and at the supermarket. Everywhere we go, we take Jesus with us, and so everyday is Christmas in the lives of Christians, giving us the opportunity to bring the world’s greatest gift to whomever we meet, no matter what time of year it is.

I sometimes wonder if I have what it takes to bring Jesus alive into my world. But those God chooses He enables, and with God’s grace I know I can. God offers all of us an invitation to bring the good news of our Savior into the world. How will we respond? A simple “Yes” will do.

Mary’s “Yes”

Posted by Jim Thornber on December 23, 2012
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion. Tagged: , , , , , , . 1 Comment

“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” – Luke 1:38

Mary 2This is the scene: Some time after the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, but before they   consummated the marriage, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that God chose her to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah.

This is the question:  “How this is possible, since I’m a virgin?”

This is the answer: “The power of the Most High will overshadow you, so the baby to be born will be called the Son of God.”

This is the consequence: According to the Law in Deut. 22:23-24, death by stoning for adultery. According to Gabriel, the birth of God-with-Us.

This is the response: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

This is what bothers me: I don’t know if I would have been as brave as Mary.

Some of you may remember the stigma that once surrounded a girl who was pregnant out of wedlock. Although now in the United States, where more than a million teenage girls get pregnant out of wedlock, Mary’s predicament loses some of its force. However, imagine that the penalty for this infraction is death by stoning, while the girl is claiming to be a virgin and that the Father is the Lord God Almighty. (Imagine how Planned Parenthood, the religious right and the ACLU would fight over that scenario!)

I also find it interesting that after hearing such a magnificent announcement about bearing the Savior of the world, Mary has something simpler on her mind:  “How this is possible, since I’m a virgin?” It seems that no matter how hard we try, we always filter our faith through the facts. And the fact is this: Mary’s simple acquiescence to the Lord’s request would forever change the life of a poor teenage girl from a backwater town in Israel. It would also change the world.

However, a work of God is a two-edged sword, coming with both great joy and great pain. After considering the repercussions, Mary simply says “Yes” to God. This is one of the things that I really like about Mary: She was the first person to accept Jesus on His own terms, regardless of the personal cost. Mary said, “Be it done according to what you’ve said.” She weighed the knowledge of being an outcast in her home, and chose obedience and submission to God over comfort and acceptability. That should be a challenge to all of us.

Mary also responds with a song that we have come to call The Magnificat. A song like Mary’s comes from a heart that practices praising God—from a life that is faithful to worship God in the good times as well as in the bad times. And this was definitely one of those good times/ bad times events. Being the bearer of the Son of God was going to be a mixed blessing, for with this honor came deep pain and a tremendous responsibility. At the circumcision and consecration of Jesus, Simeon said, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34). Remember, nothing significant is accomplished for the Kingdom of God without great sacrifice.

But as Mary sacrificed her will and  her body to carry Jesus within her, we now have the same privilege. God has handpicked each one of us to live with the same purpose as Mary – to bring Jesus alive into the world.

God created our bodies to be a home for His Spirit, a sacred vessel through which He makes Himself known to our families, friends, and co-workers, in our homes, in our schools, at our jobs and at the supermarket. Everywhere we go, we take Jesus with us, and so everyday is Christmas in the lives of Christians, giving us the opportunity to bring the world’s greatest gift to whomever we meet, no matter what time of year it is.

I sometimes wonder if I have what it takes to bring Jesus alive into my world. But those God chooses He enables, and with God’s grace I know I can. God offers all of us an invitation to bring the good news of our Savior into the world. How will we respond? A simple “Yes” will do.

 

Mary Had It Worse

Posted by Jim Thornber on February 7, 2011
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 6 Comments

“And a sword will pierce your own soul too” – Luke 2:35

Me and Mom at my wedding

I know it has been a while since I’ve written, but I’ve been in Mississippi the last ten days with my mom. She had been fighting emphysema for years and on Feb. 1, she lost the battle. She died peacefully with me in the room with her, and I’m grateful for the time I could spend with her at the end of her life.

I have to admit, though, that more than once during the week I stood by her side, praying that God would take her quickly and ease the pain of trying to breathe with only 18% of her lungs left. One of the worst possible experiences in life is to watch a loved one slowly die for lack of oxygen. Gasping for air is not a pretty sight, but that was what I had to watch. I prayed and pleaded with God that He would ease her pain and discomfort and take her home quickly. My love and compassion for my mom wanted a comfortable, easy passing, and I don’t regret those prayers. Still, while I stood by her bed and held her hand while she struggled to inhale, it occurred to me that however bad I had it, Mary, the mother of Jesus, had it worse. Continue Reading

Mary Simply says “Yes”

Posted by Jim Thornber on December 10, 2010
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion, Scripture. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” – Luke 1:38

Harry Tanner, The Annunciation

After reading the story about Mary, the mother Jesus, it bothers me that I don’t think I would have been as brave as Mary. But let’s look at what was taking place.

This is the scene: Some time after the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, but before they consummated the marriage, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that God chose her to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah.

This is the question: “How this is possible, since I’m a virgin?”

This is the answer: “The power of the Most High will overshadow you, so the baby to be born will be called the Son of God.”

This is the consequence: According to the Law in Deut. 22:23-24, death by stoning for adultery. According to Gabriel, the birth of God-with-Us.

This is the response: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

As I said, I don’t know if I would have been as brave as Mary.

Some of you may remember the stigma that once surrounded a girl who was pregnant out of wedlock. Although now in the United States, where more than a million teenage girls get pregnant out of wedlock, Mary’s predicament loses some of its force. However, imagine that the penalty for this infraction is death by stoning, while the girl is claiming to be a virgin and that the Father is the Lord God Almighty. Imagine how Planned Parenthood, the religious right and the ACLU would fight over that scenario!

I also find it interesting that after hearing such a magnificent announcement about bearing the Savior of the world, Mary has something simpler on her mind:  “How this is possible, since I’m a virgin?” It seems that no matter how hard we try, we always filter our faith through the facts. And the fact is this: Mary’s simple acquiescence to the Lord’s request would forever change the life of a poor teenage girl from a backwater town in Israel. It would also change the world.

However, a work of God is a two-edged sword, coming with both great joy and great pain. After considering the repercussions, Mary simply says “Yes” to God. This is one of the things that I really like about Mary: She was the first person to accept Jesus on His own terms, regardless of the personal cost. Mary said, “Be it done according to what you’ve said.” She weighed the knowledge of being an outcast in her home, and chose obedience and submission to God over comfort and acceptability. That should be a challenge to all of us.

Mary also responds with a song that we have come to call The Magnificat. A song like Mary’s comes from a heart that practices praising God – from a life that is faithful to worship God in the good times as well as in the bad times. And this was definitely one of those good times/bad times events. Being the bearer of the Son of God was going to be a mixed blessing, for with this honor came deep pain and a tremendous responsibility. At the circumcision and consecration of Jesus, Simeon said, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34). Remember, nothing significant is accomplished for the Kingdom of God without great sacrifice.

But as Mary sacrificed her will and her body to carry Jesus within her, we now have the same privilege. God has handpicked each one of us to live with the same purpose as Mary – to bring Jesus alive into the world.

God created our bodies to be a home for His Spirit, a sacred vessel through which He makes Himself known to our families, friends, and co-workers, in our homes, in our schools, at our jobs and at the supermarket. Everywhere we go, we take Jesus with us, and so everyday is Christmas in the lives of Christians, giving us the opportunity to bring the world’s greatest gift to whomever we meet, no matter what time of year it is.

I sometimes wonder if I have what it takes to bring Jesus alive into my world. But those God chooses He enables, and with God’s grace I know I can. God offers all of us an invitation to bring the good news of our Savior into the world. How will we respond? A simple “Yes” will do.

First posted Dec. ’08

How To Talk “Christian”

Posted by Jim Thornber on May 7, 2010
Posted in: Christian Spirituality. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

“Mary took . . . an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. . . But Judas Iscariot objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?’ He said this because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what as put into it.” – John 12:3-6

Reading this passage reminds me of why I hate Christian clichés.

Judas, in his desire to line his pockets with the disciple’s money, says the religiously acceptable thing when he talks about giving the money to the poor. However, in order to hide his true motives, Judas mouths a frequently used yet thoughtless statement that sounds good to the listening ear but betrays the truth.

To the casual observer, Judas’ statement appears to be closest to the mission of Jesus, but in reality, his motive is furthest from the heart of Christ. That, to me, is the definition of a Christian cliché.

I’m confessing to you that I’m bothered by how many “religious” statements appear full of compassion and dedication, but are actually self-serving and furthest from the loving kindness of God. After sharing my crankiness over Christian clichés with some Facebook friends, I’ve compiled a short list of our least favorite Christian sayings. Feel free to add your own, but I warn you; just thinking about some of these can put you in a bad mood.

  • “Bless her heart.” This is the quick follow-up after sharing some bit of gossip about “her.”
  • “I’ll pray for you.” It sounds so religious and spiritual, but we can all count the number of times we’ve said that and failed to follow up on it. When someone asks my wife to pray for them, she stops what she’s doing, looks them in the eye, and prays for their need. I like that, because the person prayed for knows they’ve been prayed for, knows what has been said about them, and knows they’ve been in the presence of someone who means what they say.
  • “He needs Jesus.” This is code for, “That guy’s a real jerk.” Continue Reading

Mary’s “Yes”

Posted by Jim Thornber on December 15, 2009
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Worship. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” – Luke 1:38

MaryThis is the scene: Some time after the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, but before they consummated the marriage, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that God chose her to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah.

This is the question:  “How this is possible, since I’m a virgin?”

This is the answer: “The power of the Most High will overshadow you, so the baby to be born will be called the Son of God.”

This is the consequence: According to the Law in Deut. 22:23-24, death by stoning for adultery. According to Gabriel, the birth of God-with-Us.

This is the response: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

This is what bothers me: I don’t know if I would have been as brave as Mary.

Continue Reading

Scriptures That Bother Me — Luke 1:38

Posted by Jim Thornber on June 29, 2009
Posted in: Writing. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

Mary’s “Yes”

“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” – Luke 1:38

MaryThis is the scene: Some time after the betrothal of Joseph and Mary, but before they consummated the marriage, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that God chose her to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah.

This is the question:  “How this is possible, since I’m a virgin?”

This is the answer: “The power of the Most High will overshadow you, so the baby to be born will be called the Son of God.”

This is the consequence: According to the Law in Deut. 22:23-24, death by stoning for adultery. According to Gabriel, the birth of God-with-Us.

This is the response: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

This is what bothers me: I don’t know if I would have been as brave as Mary.

Continue Reading

Scriptures That Bother Me — Luke 2:14

Posted by Jim Thornber on December 15, 2008
Posted in: Christian Spirituality, Religion. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 4 Comments

“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.” – Mark Twain

The Favor of God

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” Luke 2:14

I was doing some Christmas-time reading this morning when I came upon this Scripture. “How,” you may ask, “during the Christmas season, can such a wonderful, sublime, uplifting, awe-inspiring announcement by a host of heavenly angels on the announcement of a baby-Savior born in Bethlehem bother you?” It’s simple. I have trouble comprehending that I am one upon whom God’s favor rests.

When I think about the favor of God, it seems to me that His favor mostly rests on someone else, and their accomplishments for the Kingdom are proof-positive that God favors them. But what about me? What have I done to garnish God’s favor? I’m a middle-aged man who feels he has yet to make a mark on the world. Nothing I’ve done seems very significant. No magazine has written an article about me, there are no ministries founded in my name (or, thank God, in my memory!) and no schools with a “Thornber Chapel” or a “James D. Thornber Hall.”

I’m the type who sometimes thinks God is waiting to punish me, and I look for meaningful messages in everything. Since my internet provider is down this morning, I take it as a sign from God I’m spending too much time blogging and not enough time in prayer. If I have a flat tire, I attribute it to a jealous thought I had about a co-worker or the argument I had with my wife. If I lose my job, it’s because God is teaching me I didn’t work hard enough and wasted too much time.

Besides, why should I have the favor of God? And what does it mean to have God’s favor? I looked it up, and “favor” means “good pleasure and well-pleased.” What have I done that God is “well-pleased” with me and His “good pleasure” rests on my life? Nothing, really. But then, that’s the point.

In this passage, the angels ascribe glory to God for His favorable disposition towards the people of earth. That includes me. And what did I “do” to obtain God’s favor? Nothing. It has all been done for me. And that is where I err. Too often I’m still trying to “earn” His love and favor the way I earn a paycheck. However, even the faith I have is a gift from God (Rom. 12:3).

Most of us have great difficulty accepting the grace of God – His unearned, unmerited, un-worked-for good pleasure and well-pleasing thoughts about our life. All we see are our sins, mistakes and shortcomings. God sees those things too, but He also sees our future. Is His favor undeserved? Of course. But that is the way of love. Love isn’t about deserving; it’s about choosing the best for another at the expense of yourself.

To understand this better, let’s consider a family. Through a precious and intimate encounter, loving couples choose to bring a baby into the world. They love that child completely and totally, unconditionally and without restraint, even before she is born. They know the child will make mistakes and drive them crazy with worry, but they love that child anyway. What did the child “do” to earn such favor and love? Nothing. In the same way, deserving God’s favor and love was never the point. Accepting His love and favor is.

Now, as I contemplate the favor of God, I realize that His favor has nothing to do with me and everything to do with Him. The angels in this passage give glory to God for His gracious and unmerited favor – they don’t say anything about us deserving it.

Now I’m finally able to understand it a little better. God’s favor does rest on me because God chooses it to be so. My faith in His forgiving act of love at Calvary insures that His good pleasure will remain on my life not because of what I do, but because of whose I am. Knowing this, perhaps I’ve just given myself the ultimate Christmas present.