"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." ( Luke 19:10 )
Today as we celebrated and lit the first candle in the Advent wreath, my mind went to Mary's song of praise in the beginning months of her pregnancy recorded in Luke 1:46. Although we don't pray to Mary or worship her, we must meditate on these wise words of Scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit through this young woman chosen to carry the Christ Child. Every year, Mary's song seems to bring a deeper degree of comfort to me in the shortened, dark days leading up to the winter solstice. ( Psalm 1:1-2 )
The early darkness that closes in each night is a reminder that the world God made and the image bearers he created are alienated from him because of their sin. Psalm 14, Psalm 54, and Romans 3:11-18 all describe the wicked and hopeless disconnect in no uncertain terms: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."
We are enemies of God. No one even seeks for him. Even if we did seek for God and stumble upon him in the bleak darkness, we have nothing to offer him for reconciliation but our own filthy rags of righteousness. ( Isaiah 64:6 )
Nineteen chapters over from Mary's Magnificat in the Book of Luke, a now grown Jesus tells a despicable tax collector and repentant sinner named Zacchaeus that salvation has come to his house.
Because even though fallen humanity is incapable of seeking God, Jesus has come to seek us.
That's the glorious good news of Christmas.
Jesus goes on to proclaim to Zacchaeus and all of the curious and grumbling onlookers that day, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." ( Luke 19:10 )
And Jesus didn't just take the first step toward reconciliation, he took all of the steps. Since we are dead in our trespasses and sin, unable to take any steps back to God, Jesus took every step necessary for lost sinners to be reconciled with God. Jesus took every one of the steps, all the way to the cross. He fulfilled the words of praise his mother Mary spoke. ( 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 )
Let's hold and ponder her words this week in our own hearts. I believe when we do, our hearts will sing with hers.
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
( Luke 1:46-55 )
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| HBF Archive photo of Natasha and Atlas watching over the flock. |