Monday, December 13, 2021
God’s Miracles Are Not Mysteries
But Lovingly Given to Those Most In Need
Of Blessings
As Leaves In Spring Grow On Branches Once Frozen
Psalm 74:21
Do not let the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise your name.
Luke 1:58
Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
Words of Grace For Today
The way the world works, the downtrodden, poor, and needy are left out to ‘flap in the wind.’
God works through the downtrodden, poor, and needy as Jesus’ story makes so clear:
John the Baptist and Jesus are each born of mothers who are of no account, Jesus’ mother even more so than John the Baptist’s/ Elizabeth is married to a priest. Mary is not even married and she is engaged to a poor carpenter, from a nothing place called Nazareth.
Those who fear and love God know how to celebrate God’s work through the downtrodden, poor, and needy: we celebrate for God raises up the lowly, and brings down those who consider themselves to be on high. The wealthy are brought to poverty. Rulers are brought down to be peasants. Powerful are brought down to powerless. Oppressors are turned on and oppressed. This is justice, God’s way.
The miracle is not this justice.
The miracle is that without making the downtrodden, poor, and needy new occupiers of the wealthy, ruling, and powerful who ignore those on the outside of their privilege and comfort, God takes the outsiders (the downtrodden, poor, and needy) and blesses them with the blessings so amazing and over-abundant that those wealthy, powerful, rulers, and oppressors have no hope of living as fully, as blessed, as well.
God brings us on the outside to be God’s insiders, who carry blessings enough to share with all people. That is the miracle; to be feared by those who try to gain it themselves, and to be celebrated by those to whom God gives God’s favour and Promise.