Silenced. God, Make Us Like Mary

I haven’t spoken in three days. Three days of walking around my world flinging my hands around, trying to get people to understand. Three days of not responding, not belting out every thought or idea.

Three days of letting my thoughts settle, listening before I speak, even when it feels unnatural.

I open up Luke, Chapter 1 this morning by the glimmering lights of our tree. Another man, muted. His name was Zachariah, a priest in a temple.

One day while doing his priestly duties, an angel Gabriel told him, he and his wife (both of old age) would have a son.

“How can this be?” Zachariah responded…

Not just words, but doubt and unbelief spilled from his lips.

The angel then insisted, “You will be and continue to be silent and not able to speak till the day when these things take place, because you have not believed what I told you.”

The angel goes on, “My words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time.”

Sound harsh, doesn’t it. But then, I read further.

The same angel Gabriel, approached Mary, the soon-to-be mother of Jesus. He tells her she will conceive. She also asks in her innocence, “How can it be”.

Yet, Mary wasn’t scorn or muted. You see, it wasn’t just the questions, but the heart in which we speak that counts.

Mary asked out of curiousity, not necessarly unbelief.

And I wonder, as we get older, does our view of God get smaller? Do we take innocent curiousity and mold it into bitter doubts and impossibilities?

When did God last tell us something and we questioned His goodness or ability, His strength or His sufficiency?

Have we grown into old, religious men, rebuttling God’s promises, when He wants us like virgin children, accepting our calling with wonder and obedience?

Verse 30 of Luke Chapter 1 tells us, Mary found “grace (free, spontaneous, absolute favor and loving-kindness) with God”.

Zachariah was found mute.

Here I sit, just before Christmas. I got out yesterday to do errands. I ended up running into person after person I knew. They talked to me, but I could not respond.

My writing board left at home, I imagind the scorn of Zachariah when God took His voice, and made Him unable to speak until the naming of his son, John.

Why do we put limitations on God?

Why do we put God in a box, expecting somewhere in our hearts, there are things He cannot do, because of our age, incapabilties, fears or limitations?

Isn’t His grace sufficient for me and you?

And if He can send fire from heaven, turn back the sun, pull gold from a fishes mouth, isn’t nothing is impossible with Him?

He holds the Universe in His hands. And He longs to meet us with impossible feats to show off His omnipotence, grace and goodness.

And yet, I nod when I see people. The surgery I had on my vocal chords left me listening and watching, wondering and meditating.

I cannot say alot, but I find kissing my children, hugs and big smiles still draws families together.

We don’t need a thousand words to parent effectively.

My three little miracles wrap their arms around my neck. And I stand and wonder at a big God who brought these perfect gifts like God brought John to Zachariah and Jesus to Mary.

And yet, I inspect my heart, weigh my unbelief. How many times did I limit God in my thinking, hesitate to follow because of my questions?

I read verse 37, “For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.”

Yet, we make God human. Limit and shrink Him. Oh God, won’t you forgive us?

“Blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary. Her soul magnifies and extols the Lord. Her spirit rejoices in God her Savior.

Mary was wise, though she is young, while Zachariah was ages and cynical.

To Mary, God could do anything…even the unthinkable…like impregnate her by His Holy Spirit with the long-awaited chosen Messiah.

Yet John, His view of God was limited. Even though He had heard about Abraham and Sarah who also conceived in their old age…

Somewhere along the way, Zachariah doubted God’s goodness….to Him.

And how often do we know and see God do miracles? Yet, when it comes to Him blessing us, we doubt and question Him?

Can we be like Mary?

The one who testifies, “He Who is Almighty has done great things….His mercy (His compassion and kindness toward the miserable and afflicted) is on those who fear Him….He has shown strength and made might with His arm; He has scattered the proud and haughty in and by the imagination and purpose and designs of their hearts.” (v. 49 – 51)

“He has filled and satisfied the hungry with good things. The rich He has sent away empty-handed [without a gift].” (v.53)

Oh God, make us like Mary. A child of questions, but one accepting of the call you have for us.

Though you do the miraculous, Mary trusted your goodness and didn’t limit or criticize what you are capable of.

God, let us welcome your children, into our homes and hearts, whether conceived like Mary, or given in our old age, like Zachariah and Elizabeth.

How ever they come Lord, children are a blessing.

Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, a mind to grasp the fullness of your presence, the limitness of your possibilities, the awesomeness of your magnificience….

We want to speak and not be silent. We have seen you working in our lives and those around us.

God, forgive us for questioning. Expand our reach and stretch the tent of our territories, so you Lord might get glory and be center stage of our journeys….

Tomorrow I can speak again. My vocal chords will be healed. And my prayer is through this three-day journey. God, make me just a little more like Mary….filled with belief and faith, wonder and possibilities….

Because if you can implant the Son of God in the womb of a virgin and allow a child like John to be conceived in the womb of Elizabeth…

God, you can do anything.

Fill us with faith today Lord, and rid us of our unbelief.