December 21, 2012

Step into the stream

By Lynelle Yoder, a senior elementary education major from Goshen, Ind.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:39-45, (46-55) (NRSV)
DEVOTIONAL:

And with that, Mary’s world turned.

No, I’m not talking about some cute little 10-degree rotation. I’m talking about a full whopping 180-degree turn around.

With a single divine visit, Mary was no longer “simply” a young teenager, engaged to be married and great with child. Suddenly, she was the sole woman chosen to mother the only son of GOD. Yes, that’s right, GOD. Imagine the awestruck wonder that Mary must have felt at receiving a visit from an angel, and then at being informed that great miracles were to be worked in her life and that of her cousin. Not only was her barren cousin to have a child, but she, Mary, a virgin, was to give birth to God’s Son. Incredible! It’s no wonder that Mary went sprinting with joy to bear the news to her cousin, and then prayed the Magnificat, a prayer of utter reverence and astonishment. What a blessing.

My prayer for you in this Christmas season, whatever might be happening in your life, is that you will find cause to rejoice as Mary rejoiced. I pray that you will rest and soak in God’s blessing. I pray that you will experience God’s peace. I pray that God’s peace will rise to its feet within you to sing a song of reverence and astonishment, a song of awe and wonder. And I pray that you might step into the stream, however much you’re able, and allow yourself to be swept along in God’s remarkable flood of reversal.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:39-45, (46-55) (NRSV)
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
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 powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

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Comments (14)

  1. Lynelle, May your prayer for all of us “out here” be your portion as well. Thanks for the devotional this morning at 5:AM.

    Ora December 21, 2012 |

  2. Beautifully put, Lynelle; and the same to you. Blessings and miracles at Christmas!
    Mervyn

    Mervyn Carapiet December 21, 2012 |

  3. Thanks for reminding us of Mary’s Song. A miracle for all of us!

    Mary K. Mishler December 21, 2012 |

  4. thanks, lynelle, for your poignant message of hope and joy …. it struck my heart, in the light of the recent school tragedy …. that you will bring this energy to future generations of children.

    Joyce Flueckiger December 21, 2012 |

  5. Why did God tell Mary about Elizabeth’s child? How and when did May find out that she was pregnant? When Elizabeth told her! Why did she stay with Elizabeth for 3 months? Was she afraid to go back home and face her family, Joseph and the community? Elizabeth must have been a great source of support, information and encouragement? Mary need this and God provided it! Praise God for how he took care of Mary and does take care of us!

    Homer Yutzy December 21, 2012 |

  6. And so it is when each of us makes the decision to submit to God and receive His Son as our Savior. Christ comes to dwell within and our life takes a 360 degree turn. And our soul doth magnify the Lord.
    Rejoice always, I say rejoice

    sidonie December 21, 2012 |

  7. Thanks for your prayer of blessings! I cannot get my mind around this miracle of God in human flesh, but I thank God for doing it! blessings,
    Mario

    Mario Bustos December 21, 2012 |

  8. Your meaningful meditation was so graphic. I join Ora in trusting that your prayer for us “may be your portion as well”.

    Wilma Shank December 21, 2012 |

  9. Thanks, Lynelle. I love your image of a song of reverence and astonishment, or wonder and awe! Rich and full.

    Marilyn Rudy-Froese December 21, 2012 |

  10. Thank you and
    I agree with the others- may it be so for you also

    Pastor Karen December 21, 2012 |

  11. Thank YOU for your very meaningful message…I’m so ready to step into the stream and be swept away! Blessings to YOU…

    Karen Ellis December 21, 2012 |

  12. Thank you for your thoughts and your prayer of blessing and benediction. I will be quoting it as a benediction at Paoli Mennonite Fellowship during our meeting for worship Sunday morning. You are so right in asserting the amazing reversal that comes as we say, “Yes.” May you also continue to find joy on the journey.

    Ted Larrison December 22, 2012 |

  13. In the quiet of this morning I am blest by your sharing and by this beautiful scripture that brings to me what is important in life. Faye Brenneman

    Faye December 22, 2012 |

  14. I was just diagnosed with some form of cancer. I am looking to the message of Christmas to give me the peace & joy that will carry me through this. I want to say with Mary, ‘be it unto me as you have spoken’.
    thank you for that promise.

    Merlin Aeschliman

    Merlin Aeschliman December 22, 2012 |