Fear Not! [Part Two]

Scripture:

Luke 1:26-3826 Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin [h]betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, the angel said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at what he said, and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and eminent and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob (Israel) forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?” 35 Then the angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a cloud]; for that reason the holy (pure, sinless) Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “[i]Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.

Observation:

"Do not be afraid!" This powerful gospel-imperative is preceded, immersed, and proceeded by proclamation.

Before Mary can begin to be afraid, Gabriel greets her with the news, "The Lord is with you."

God's presence manifests in reality-transforming activity, "For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible."

God's presence with and activity for Mary begets her willing participation in something beautiful if not painless, for she will not only bear Our Savior but the after-birth of salvation for all of creation. "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word."

Application:

Of late, I have been struggling somewhat with the magnitude of my role as pastor of the faith community I serve. Some days it seems the work is too great. Most days it seems that I am just too small.

I have an emergent sense of what is possible for us. I have identified several directions in which we might travel faithfully. Still, I am wary of moving us forward because I don't know how to get us moving towards a destination I can only vaguely make out.

Can you identify with these feelings of being called to embark upon a journey with no definite destination in sight? Do you find yourself dragging your heals and hedging your bets? In your case, delaying might be practiced prudence. As for me, I have been afraid.

Mary must have been tempted to fearfulness too, otherwise why would Gabriel speak those words? Human beings must be pretty pre-disposed to fear, otherwise why would scripture bid us, "fear not" with such great regularity?

Still, Mary found a way through fear to faithfulness and joy even in the midst of hardship. For her, God's active, playful presence was key. And, you know what? God's word for her is God's word for us.
Even though none of us will be called to physically birth Christ Jesus, each of us is called to bear the light of Christ into the dark corners of our families, neighbourhoods and offices.

Fear not, God-bearer! The Lord has found favour with you and is working to deliver you even as you are called and equipped to bring forth redemptive love and justice into the world. Seriously, God is with you, so anything is possible.

Prayer: (From Evangelical Lutheran Worship, 2006)

O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown Give us faith to out with good courage, not knowing where we go, 

but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.