Let It Be
Luke 1:38: "'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.' Then the angel left her."
In 1969, the Beatles released their hit album entitled, "Let It Be." It's likely that all of us are familiar with the hit song on this album also entitled, "Let It Be." Apparently, Paul McCartney wrote this song after he had a dream in which his long-deceased mother came to him with the words, "Let it be." Paul took these words to mean let go, relax, and stop worrying so much about your own struggles. The song expands as Paul writes about all the broken-hearted people coming together. With this union, wars could cease and peace could come upon the earth.
As I write this devotion in December of 2020, we acknowledge that Paul's words didn't take root; his vision for peace never came to fruition and likely never will come to fruition in this world. Our divisions are too strong between nations and even between people within our own nation. Peace does not come with letting go, relaxing, or forgetting one's troubles. So, how can peace be found in this world?
"Peace on Earth" were the words proclaimed at the birth of Jesus Christ: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased" (Luke 2:14). Peace came through the birth of the Christ child. Now imagine his teenage mother, Mary, who would bear this Christ child. She was young, betrothed but not married, and a virgin. An angel came to her to declare that she would conceive and bear a son who would be called the Son of the Most High. How perplexing for this young girl!
One could imagine that this announcement to Mary by the angel Gabriel was not one that initially brought Mary peace. Mary could have lost everything by bearing this Son - her reputation, her soon-to-be husband, her family, as well as her place in the Jewish community. As one who could be considered an adulteress, she could have even lost her very life. Paul McCartney's words of "let it be" would have not been very comforting to Mary during that time.
Mary chose the true path to peace. She surrendered to the Lord and to the will of the Lord: "May your word be fulfilled." What a brave response from this young girl! Mary's response to Gabriel was and is a model of submission, obedience, and trust. God used her faithful response to bring true peace to the earth, the Prince of Peace was born through Mary.
True peace in this world is found only in Jesus Christ. Through him, we have peace with God as well as the assurance of our salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Without submission, obedience, and trust we will never receive these precious gifts from the Lord. This Advent season, may we surrender to the Lord; may we choose obedience even when there are so many unknowns and there may be great fear; and may we trust that he is good, that he loves us, and that he has a plan for us and this world that can feel so very chaotic.
Reflection:
Are you choosing the world's way to peace of "let it be" or God's way to peace of "may your word be fulfilled"?
In 1969, the Beatles released their hit album entitled, "Let It Be." It's likely that all of us are familiar with the hit song on this album also entitled, "Let It Be." Apparently, Paul McCartney wrote this song after he had a dream in which his long-deceased mother came to him with the words, "Let it be." Paul took these words to mean let go, relax, and stop worrying so much about your own struggles. The song expands as Paul writes about all the broken-hearted people coming together. With this union, wars could cease and peace could come upon the earth.
As I write this devotion in December of 2020, we acknowledge that Paul's words didn't take root; his vision for peace never came to fruition and likely never will come to fruition in this world. Our divisions are too strong between nations and even between people within our own nation. Peace does not come with letting go, relaxing, or forgetting one's troubles. So, how can peace be found in this world?
"Peace on Earth" were the words proclaimed at the birth of Jesus Christ: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased" (Luke 2:14). Peace came through the birth of the Christ child. Now imagine his teenage mother, Mary, who would bear this Christ child. She was young, betrothed but not married, and a virgin. An angel came to her to declare that she would conceive and bear a son who would be called the Son of the Most High. How perplexing for this young girl!
One could imagine that this announcement to Mary by the angel Gabriel was not one that initially brought Mary peace. Mary could have lost everything by bearing this Son - her reputation, her soon-to-be husband, her family, as well as her place in the Jewish community. As one who could be considered an adulteress, she could have even lost her very life. Paul McCartney's words of "let it be" would have not been very comforting to Mary during that time.
Mary chose the true path to peace. She surrendered to the Lord and to the will of the Lord: "May your word be fulfilled." What a brave response from this young girl! Mary's response to Gabriel was and is a model of submission, obedience, and trust. God used her faithful response to bring true peace to the earth, the Prince of Peace was born through Mary.
True peace in this world is found only in Jesus Christ. Through him, we have peace with God as well as the assurance of our salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life. Without submission, obedience, and trust we will never receive these precious gifts from the Lord. This Advent season, may we surrender to the Lord; may we choose obedience even when there are so many unknowns and there may be great fear; and may we trust that he is good, that he loves us, and that he has a plan for us and this world that can feel so very chaotic.
Reflection:
Are you choosing the world's way to peace of "let it be" or God's way to peace of "may your word be fulfilled"?
No Comments