As usual, Jay Johnson was running late. He had was slow getting started that morning, and the cold rainy weather wasn’t helping at all. On top of that, his green 1939 Mercury convertible had developed a huge rip just above the driver’s seat, and water was pouring through the growing hole onto his head. Pulling the car off to the side of the road, the forty-five-year old Johnson rummaged through the papers he kept on his backseat until he found an umbrella. He pushed it through the hole in the canvas top, then hit the button to open the umbrella. Shifting into first gear, he eased the car back onto the road, with the umbrella keeping most of the water out of the car. Jay continued on to the Stamford, Connecticut train station.

            A script and commercial-jingle writer for radio, Johnson was on his way to New York, a daily commute of little more than an hour. During these trips Jay would often read the newspaper, work word puzzles, and scribbled inspiration for storylines and songs. 

            As the train chugged toward the Big Apple, Johnson pulled out an old piece of hotel stationary and began thinking about some lyrics for his radio show. The holiday season was just around the corner, and with the success of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” and the tremendous impact of blues music during the 1940’s, he suddenly realized that no one had yet tackled this play on words, and jotted down this little rhyme:

I expect to have a colorful Christmas
tinged with every kind of holiday hue,
and though I know I’ll find every shade in the rainbow
this design of mine will be mostly blue.

            These lines were destined to become the first verse of the lyric sheet which Johnson would call “Blue Christmas.” Over the course of the next few days, several more verses followed. The song was copyrighted in 1948 and soon popularized by country and western singer Earnest Tubb “The Texas Troubadour.” It was probably Elvis Pressley’s affection for Tubb that led him to record “Blue Christmas” on his initial holiday album. Elvis’ deep baritone voice put the blues in “Blue Christmas” and it became an instant holiday classic. 

            Though Christmas is considered the most wonderful time of the year by many, it is also a very difficult time for some people. Being alone during a holiday period when family and giving are so important would be tough enough without being bombarded by the happy and joyful nature of Christmas. So, while Christmas brings real happiness to millions, Jay Johnsons verses spoke to those forgotten souls who would face the holiday season alone. (Ace Collins 191-193)

            Have you ever had a blue Christmas? Have you ever experienced some form of suffering that negatively affected your holiday spirit? What about now? Is your heart broken over fractured relationship or the loss of a loved one? Are you anxious about something at work or worried about your finances? Have you been trying to make sense of some unexpected tragedy in your life? All of these things, and many others, can cause us to have a blue Christmas. While everyone else is decking the halls with boughs of holly, some of us just want to duck our heads and disappear into a dark hole. 

            When we suffer, sometimes we feel like God has abandoned us. We cry out to him and ask, “Why me?” or “Why this?” or “How long must I suffer?” or “How long must I wallow in the depths of despair?” Suffering sometimes causes us to doubt God’s power or his love. We think to ourselves “If God really had the power to prevent this, why didn’t he?” or “If God really loved me, why did he let this happen? Why didn’t he answer my prayer?” 

            If you have ever felt this way, I want you to know that you are not alone. This is exactly how David felt when he composed Psalm 13.  He felt like God has totally abandoned him and he doesn’t know why! Whereas Psalm 98, which we looked at last Sunday, is one of the most joyous Psalms of praise in the whole Psalter, Psalm 13 is one of the most sobering Psalms of lament. We don’t know for sure, but David probably composed this Psalm during his years of exile when King Saul was pursuing him. Whatever the precise circumstance, he was certainly down in the dumps when he wrote it.

            The Psalm begins in the depths of despair but then the pain rises through prayer and it eventually concludes with an expression of God’s steadfast love and salvation. In the first stanza, we see an inward groan of desperate feelings. In the second stanza, we see an outward gasp of dangerous foes. In the third stanza, we see an upward gaze od deepening faith. Let’s take a closer look at these three stanzas, and may this Psalm help us difficult times—even a blue Christmas.

1.) An Inward Groan- Desperate Feelings (1-2)

            The first thing we notice about verses 1 and 2 is that David repeats his question “How long?” four times. The repetition intensifies the emotion of the Psalm by alluding to the fact that David had been suffering for a long time.  This was not some momentary displeasure; it was such severe suffering that it made him feel like God had abandoned him. 

            We don’t know what was causing his pain, but we do know that he didn’t seem like God was doing anything about it. He felt like God had forgotten him. The longer he suffered, the more he felt like God didn’t care about him. His heart was filled with sorrow and he didn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. He was spiritually depressed and lonely.  

            One thing I love about this Psalm is its honesty. David doesn’t sugarcoat his words; his emotions are raw before God. If someone stood up in church today and said the things David says here, most of us would wonder if the person was even a Christian. We have been taught to say nice things to God when we pray, but this is not what David did. David was brutally honest with God about how he felt. He had finally hit rock bottom, and he wanted God to know about it!

            Have you ever been consumed by the inward groan of desperate feelings? Have you ever felt like God has turned his back on you or has abandoned you? Have you ever cried out to him and asked, “How long, O Lord?” Many of us can empathize with David. We have been where he was. We prayed fervently and faithfully, but our prayers have gone unanswered. You say with David “How long, O Lord?  Will you forget me forever?”

            What should we do when you feel like this?  What should we do when God is absent and silent?  Well, let’s see what David did!

2.) An Outward Gasp- Dreaded Foes (3-4)

            How did David get out of the depths of despair? How did he overcome his spiritual depression and feelings of abandonment? He prayed! He prayed to the Lord! For the true child of God there is always an awareness of God’s presence, regardless of how deep our depression may be.  We may be depressed, even to the point of feeling utterly abandoned. But the fact that we feel abandoned itself means that we really know God is there. To be abandoned you need someone to be abandoned by. Even when David felt abandoned by God, he still prayed to him because he knew that he was there.

            David’s prayer has three requests: “Look on me”; “Answer”; and “Give light to my eyes.”  His feelings told him that God had turned away from him, hiding his face forever.  So, the first thing he asked God to do was turn around and look in his direction once again. His feelings told him that God was no longer speaking to him and would never speak to him again.  So, the second thing he asked God to do was answer his questions. His feelings told him that his foes would triumph over him. So, he asked the Lord to give light to his eyes, that is, to preserve him and to restore him to full physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

            How can we get out of the depths of despair?  What do we do when we are in the midst of suffering, pain, loneliness, depression, or abandonment? What do we do when we face danger from our foes? We do what David did, we pray! We must pray consistently and urgently, especially about our feelings of abandonment. We plead with God look toward us and answer our questions.    

            When we feel abandoned by God, the last thing we want to do is pray to him, but this is what we must do!  Remember, even when we don’t see God’s hand, we can trust his heart!

3.) An Upward Gaze- Deepening Faith (5-6)

            Well, what was the result of David’s prayer?  You may be surprised by what we see in the text. There is no clear answer to his prayer. There is no indication that God delivered David from his enemies. There is no announcement that God alleviated his suffering. There is no fairy tale ending to this Psalm. But even though God did not change David’s circumstances, he changed his perspective. Through prayer, David gained a renewed sense of God’s presence. 

            See how the parallelism “trust, rejoice, and sing” increases and intensifies the level of trust through outward expression. His response begins with deep trust in the Lord’s unfailing love. The Hebrew word translated here as “unfailing love” is (hessed).  It is the highest form of love in the Hebrew language. It is the unwavering steadfast love that God has for his people.

            Then David’s expression heightens to “rejoice in your salvation.” To rejoice is to trust with joy. David remembers how the Lord has been there for him in the past and has delivered him from other enemies. His heart is bubbling up with joy.

            David concludes the Psalm with the climactic announcement “I will sing to the Lord.”  This highest level of trust expresses itself in jubilant singing. Why does David sing to the Lord?  Because he remembered God’s love and salvation! His upward gaze resulted in a deeper faith! 

            When we express our inward groans and desperate feelings to the Lord—when we pray with outward gasps about our dreaded foes—God will grant us a renewed sense of his presence. Like David, he may not change our situation or circumstances, but he will change our perspective. Whenever we are tempted to doubt God’s power or love for us, let us remember that he sent his own son to a sinful earth in the first advent. Whenever we don’t understand why bad things happen to us, let us remember that God arranged for his Son Jesus to take on human flesh and be born in Bethlehem. Whenever we feel like God has abandoned us, let us remember that God allowed his own Son to be whipped and beaten and nailed to a tree so that sinners like us could be saved from hell!

            When Jesus was on the cross, God proved his power to alleviate human suffering. He suffered to save us from eternal suffering! He proved his love by giving up his one and only Son. Our suffering is not caused by God’s lack of power or love. Suffering helps us understand God’s power and love with a deeper faith. 

            So, when you are in the depths of despair and you feel like God has abandoned you, pray! Pray openly! Pray honestly! Pray often! God may not change your health, wealth, or circumstances, but he will change you! God must be our first recourse, not our last resort. Let us put our trust his steadfast love! Let us rejoice in his salvation! Let us sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with us!Conclusion

            As I conclude, let me try to put all of this into perspective. Many of you remember when Brianna Maitland went missing fifteen years ago—a young girl who grew up right here in our community. I want you to imagine that your eighteen-year-old daughter has vanished without a trace. You don’t know what happened to her. You don’t know where she is.  You don’t even know whether or not she is dead or alive. And even after all these years, there are still no answers. Can you imagine the pain and anguish that her parents, Bruce and Kellie, have carried with them for all of these years? Can you imagine the suffering they have endured? Can you imagine how many times they have prayed, “How long, O Lord?” Can you imagine trying to celebrate Christmas with this dark cloud hanging over you?  

            I eventually lost touch with Bruce and Kellie after they relocated to New York, but before they moved away, I spent a lot of time with them. I was impressed by their resilient faith and fervent prayer. Even when they felt like God had abandoned them, they continued to wake up every morning and prayed for Brianna’s return. They continued to trust in God’s steadfast love. Their hearts continued to rejoice in God’s salvation. They continued to come to church week after week and sing to the Lord.              Some of us are in the midst of terrible suffering today. Some of us have problems that are tearing us up inside. Some of us are being tossed by the waves of turmoil, pain, depression, or abandonment. Some of us are on the brink of a blue Christmas. But I want you to remember this: When the storms of life sweep you off your feet, land on your knees!

            Has an unexpected visitor ever showed up at your house? Have you heard someone knocking on your door and you thought to yourself, “Hmn, I wonder who that could be?” Do you like receiving unexpected visitors? Well, I suppose it depends on who it is and why they are there!

            Perhaps you get perturbed when an unsolicited caller arrives at an inopportune time like when you are sitting down for supper, putting the children to bed, or soaking in the bathtub. Unexpected visitors can be maddening when you’re right in the middle of doing something!

            On the other hand, sometimes an unexpected visitor arrives at the perfect time and you welcome them with genuine enthusiasm. Have you ever experienced a surprise visit by a loved one you haven’t seen for a long time? Or has a good friend ever dropped by when you’ve just cracked open a new wineskin and you happened to have an extra goblet handy. Sometimes unexpected visits turn out to be the best visits!

            In my line of work, I am occasionally required to make an unexpected home visit. It’s always interesting to see how people respond when I show up unannounced. I know this may be surprising, but most people appear petrified when they first see me. You would think that a sweet angelic face like mine would evoke tidings of comfort and joy, but to the contrary, people are frequently paralyzed with fear! They generally jump to the conclusion that I am there to confront them for some sin they’ve committed. But let me assure you, this is almost never why I’m there.

            No, when I make an unexpected visit, it is almost always because God has given me a specific message to announce to them; and it’s usually good news! As his messenger, I stand in the presence of God; I’m called to proclaim his word! When God sends me on these missions, I have to do his will. But I guess there’s nothing I can do to change the way people perceive me or my work.

Gabriel, the Archangel

By now, you’re probably wondering who I am and what is this work that I keep referring to? Please forgive me for not introducing myself earlier—sometimes I get so focused on my mission that I forget to mention my name. I am Gabriel, one of God’s archangels!

How many of you have ever seen a real angel before? That’s what I thought! Few humans have! If this is your first time, let me begin by saying, “Boo!” No, I’m just kidding! Mortals tend to think that angels don’t have a sense of humor, but that’s just ridiculous. We like to joke and jest just like you folks—as long as we don’t get to carried away. Some of the other archangels like to tease, “Hey Gabe, for not even being a person, you sure do have a big personality!” As you can see, angel jokes are absolutely hysterical!”

Before I say anything else, allow me to present my customary greeting, “Fear not! Don’t be afraid! I mean you no harm! I’m not here to judge you!”

For those of you who don’t know much about angels, let me explain! Angels are spiritual beings created by God. We are spirits without bodies, but we have the ability to appear in bodily form, as I’m doing right now. (And may I just say, what a handsome form this is!)

Angels are God’s secret agents. We usually operate under cover—that is, we are invisible to humans unless God grants you the ability to see us.

Angels serve God in a multitude of ways. Some of us are designated to continually praise and glorify God. Other angels are selected to minister to humans—offering guidance, protection, provision, comfort, and encouragement. And other angels, like myself, are God’s elected to be God’s messengers. That’s actually what the word “angel” means: messenger. We announce God’s special messages.

Angels are not eternal, but God did create us before he made the material universe. (Job 38) I have witnessed all of the high and low points of history. I was there when God spoke the primordial words, “Let there be light.” And I watched the glittering stars scatter across the galaxies.

I was there when God laid the foundations of the earth. I sang praises when he molded the mountains and meadows, sculpted the rocks and rivers, and fashioned the forests and flowers. I shouted for joy when he placed the birds in the air, the fish in the sea, and the beasts in the field. I stood in awe as he took dust from the ground and breathed life into the first human being and established a race of people created in his own image. I watched with wonder when he hired the first humans to tend his beautiful Garden of Eden. Those were cheerful days, before the dark days came.

I was there on that diabolical day when evil entered the cosmos! As God displayed his power and glory during creation, one of my own kind—an angel named Lucifer, the Morning Star, the Son of the Dawn—became jealous of God’s glory. He wanted to sit on God’s throne and make himself like the Most High. He was overcome with pride and he led a rebellion against God in the spiritual real—and a third of all the angels followed him. God banished them from heaven and sentenced them to roam on the earth. Lucifer is now known as Satan and the fallen angels are demons. Since that day, God’s angels have been engaged in a cosmic battle against Satan and his sinister forces.

I was also there on that dreaded day when Satan manipulated Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He appeared to them in the form of a serpent, twisted God’s Word, and deceived them into tasting the forbidden fruit, thus breaking God’s command and bringing evil to earth. O how sad it was for the heavenly host to see how sin disfigured God’s wonderful world! O how heartbreaking it was to behold such beauty broken! O how agonizing it was to witness the downfall of the human race—a once perfect people now stained by selfishness, strife, and death!

Unexpected Visitations

This is why I was so thrilled when God the Father summoned me to his throne and informed me that is was now time to inaugurate his plan of redemption for the world. In human time, it was just over 2000 years ago when he revealed that he intended to send God the Son to earth. The Second Person of the Holy Trinity would take on human flesh and live as a mortal man. He would live a perfect life and die a painful death to pay the ransom for human sin. It was a marvelous plan!

And then the Almighty said to me, “Gabriel, I want you to go to earth as an unexpected visitor and announce my plan to the humans I have chosen to carry it out. I have in mind two miraculous births: the first to an elderly couple from the hill country of Judea—an old priest named Zechariah and his barren wife, Elizabeth. They will become the parents of John, the one who will prepare the way for the Messiah.”

As I contemplated this, the Holy Father continued, “The second birth will belong to a betrothed couple from the town of Nazareth in Galilee—a carpenter named Joseph and a young virgin girl named Mary. They will surely be confused as to how a virgin can bear a child. Do your best to explain a supernatural conception. You know how humans struggle to comprehend anything beyond the natural world.

Then my Creator concluded his command by saying, “I am entrusting this mission to you, my chief messenger. These annunciations are crucial for the redemption of the world. Go now Gabriel, stand in my presence! Speak my word! Proclaim this good news!”

An Angelic Annunciation

So, I did as God commanded me. I went to Nazareth and became an unexpected visitor. When I found Mary, she was fetching water from the well in the center of the village. The sun was just setting over the horizon and no one else was around. I appeared to her and said, “Greetings you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you.”

Mary’s reaction was different from all the others I’d received in the past. Although she was a just a teenager, she expressed no terror or trepidation. She seemed perfectly comfortable with my presence; it was my greeting that troubled her. She quietly inquired, “What do you mean by ‘highly favored one’?

Even though I was more startled by her reply than she was by my remark, I resorted to my customary salutation, “Don’t be afraid!” Once I gathered my thoughts and clarified my greeting, “Mary, you are the recipient of God’s special blessing. God has chosen you to be his vessel to bring redemption to the world.”

After contemplating this for a few moments, a confused look appeared on her face and she humbly asked, “But why has God chosen me? I haven’t done anything to deserve this grace!” And I said, “Mary, you are correct! You can’t earn God’s grace—it is unmerited favor. It is his sovereign right to choose whomever he wants to receive his grace. He can call anyone he wants to carry out his purposes. This is true for both angels and humans.”

After I gave Mary my greeting of grace, I knew it was time to fulfill my mission. I looked deep into the modest maiden’s eyes and said, “Mary, you will be with child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord would give him the throne of his father David, and he would reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will have no end.”

Mary’s face appeared even more perplexed than before and she didn’t say anything for a long while. You can imagine what was going through her mind at that moment?  My message overwhelmed her; it was too much for her to take in all at once. She just gazed into the starry night and pondered in her heart.

When she heard the words “Son of the Most High” she knew I was talking about God’s own Son. When she heard me say “throne of David and house of Jacob” she understood that I meant the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah; the one who would deliver Israel.

Although Mary realized that God was calling her to be the mother of the Messiah, she didn’t understand how this could this be sine she was a virgin. So, I explained, “The conception won’t be natural; it will be supernatural. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.”

To help her make sense of this miraculous pregnancy, I informed Mary that her old relative Elizabeth was already in her sixth month of pregnancy. Mary knew that Elizabeth had been barren her whole life, and she was well aware of Elizabeth and Zechariah’s deepest disappointment. Mary smiled when I asked, “If God could cause a barren old woman to be pregnant, why couldn’t he do the same for a young virgin?” Then I spoke the words I knew she needed to hear: “For nothing is impossible with God.”

After I said this, Mary didn’t ask any more questions. She didn’t worry about the possible disgrace she might face once people knew she was pregnant, yet unmarried. She wasn’t concerned about the law that could condemn her to death if she was convicted of adultery. She wasn’t even afraid of how her fiancé would react when he found out she was pregnant. She wasn’t anxious about any of these things. She fully embraced God’s plan for her life! The last words out of her mouth were remarkable. She simply said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said!” And with that, there was nothing left for either of us to say, so I left her.

It was just over 2000 years ago when I appeared to Mary as an unexpected visitor and announced the birth of God’s Son Jesus Christ. This was the mission that changed the world. You see, Mary did become the mother of the Messiah. She marveled at his miracles! She cried at his crucifixion! And she rejoiced at his resurrection! This was God’s wonderful plan to redeem the world from the curse of sin.

            Just as God extended his special grace to Mary to become the mother of the Messiah, he has extended his grace to all of you through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Through this grace he offers you the hope of everlasting life. Like Mary, you can’t earn it and you don’t deserve it. All you can do is receive it with humility through faith.

            Over the centuries, I have observed many humans who resist and reject God’s grace. Its one of the reasons why your race continues to suffer. As you ponder this story through the Advent season, I hope that you will follow the example of the virgin Mary. May you will receive God’s grace with humility through faith.

            Well, my unexpected visit has come to an end and my mission has been accomplished. But before I head back to heaven, let me offer an angelic prayer for you!

Have you ever experienced a deep disappointment in your life? I’m not talking about a minor disappointment like your husband forgetting your anniversary or your wife making a salad for supper when you were expecting lamb chops (although that would be pretty disappointing). I mean a major disappointment like not getting the job you were hoping for or falling in love with someone who wasn’t in love with you.

            By now, you surely know that life is filled with minor disappointments. We experience them on a daily basis: A coworker makes an unkind comment, a friend doesn’t follow through on a commitment, or a child refuses to cooperate.

            But every once in a while, we are forced to endure a disappointment that shakes us to the very core of our soul—a disappointment that leads to disillusionment: Betrayal by a spouse, abandonment by a child, or shock from the unexpected death of a loved one! Have you ever dealt with a disappointment that caused you to doubt God’s power or his love?  

A Divine Disappointment (5-7)
            Today I would like to share with you the story of one of the deepest disappointments of my life. It’s a painful account of a broken expectation my wife and I experienced early in our marriage. For many years now, we have kept this part of our lives private. Although a few of you are already familiar with the story I’m about to tell, it will come as a surprise to the rest of you. Please know that I have her full permission to share it publicly. We’ve realized that our story might be helpful to others.

Our great disappointment came when we learned that we couldn’t have children of our own. I know this might sound shocking since we are now parents, but there was a time when we thought we would never feel the pride and joy of parenthood.

Even before we were married, we talked about having a large family. We dreamed about a big house with a band of boisterous baby boys bouncing off the walls. We went for long walks and prayed for God to fill our quiver with kids. We often recited Solomon’s words from Psalm 127: “Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.”

Needless to say, tried to have children as soon as we were married, and we thought she would get pregnant right away. After all, a number of our friends got pregnant within their first few months of marriage. But for us, months of waiting soon turned into years, and we still didn’t have a child. We didn’t know what to expect when we weren’t expecting. We eventually saw some doctors. I won’t go into the details, but it will suffice to say that they all determined that the womb was barren and there wasn’t anything that could be done about it.

I can’t even begin to describe the depth of our disappointment when we heard this horrible news. We wept for weeks; we mourned for many months! We couldn’t understand why a couple like us, who wanted children so badly, were unable to conceive, yet we knew other couples who didn’t even want children…well, I you know what I mean.

It just didn’t seem fair! We lived moral lives and took God’s commandments seriously. We read the Scriptures frequently—we prayed fervently—we served faithfully. My wife is the godliest woman I know, and I was already serving in ministry, leading people in worship and teaching them how to walk in the ways of the Lord. We were pious people who had devoted our lives to the Lord’s service. And we thought he was going to bless us with our heart’s deepest desire—a big happy family. But instead, we got a huge dose of disappointment.

You see, we weren’t just struggling with the disappointment of not having children, we were dealing with “divine disappointment”—disappointment that is directed toward God himself. We knew that God had the power to open the womb (like he did for Hannah in the Scriptures), but there was no sign that our situation was ever going to change. Although we continued to pray, God’s lips remained sealed.

            Have you ever prayed for something, but God was silent? Have you ever expected that God was going to give you something, but then he didn’t? Have your dreams ever been devastated by “divine disappointment?” If so, perhaps the rest of our story will helpful you! It took many decades, but God eventually replaced our disappointment with delight!

Chosen by God (8-10)
            Elizabeth and I lived out in the hill country of Judea. Since I was a priest in the line of Aaron and division of Abijah, I was required to make the journey to the big city of Jerusalem five times a year to take my turn serving in the temple. Three of these were during the major festivals (Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles) as pilgrims swelled Jerusalem’s population and all priestly divisions served at the Temple. Each division had two other weeks a year when we carried out the daily sacrifices and rituals.

With approximately 18,000 priests in Judea, special duties were assigned by lot. Lots were sacred objects that would give a simple yes or no answer to questions; and a priest could only be chosen to enter the holy place and offer incense to the Lord once in a lifetime. Even after many years of faithful service, I had never been chosen for this honorable task. And if I’m completely honest, this misfortune added to my divine disappointment. But little did I know that when we cast lots this time, my number finally come up!

An Angelic Utterance (11-17)
            When I entered the holy place to perform his duty, the other priests and worshipers gathered together outside to pray. As I began burning the incense inside, I experienced an alarming apparition. Through the hazy smoke, I saw the form of what appeared to be an angel standing on the right side of the altar. I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise and my pulse pounded with terror. But the angel spoke the comforting words “Do not be afraid!”

After I settled down a bit, the messenger told me that my prayer had been answered. “Which prayer?” I wondered?

Then he said, “Zechariah, your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.” I was stunned speechless! He continued, “You are going to be a father but your son will be no ordinary son. He will bring you great joy and many people will delight in his birth because he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is to live a strict lifestyle, never taking wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. He will go before the Lord in the power of Elijah and will reunite families and bring many people back to the Lord. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.”

The Silence of the Priest (18-22)
            As I listened to the angelic utterance, I couldn’t believe what my ears were hearing. Were Elizabeth and I really going to have a son after all these years of hoping and waiting? As I tried to wrap my mind around this marvel, I let my tongue slip, “How is this possible? I’m an old man and my wife is an old woman!”

The angel raised its massive wings, drew near me like lightning, and spoke in a thundering voice, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. And since you didn’t believe the Word of God, you will not be able to speak until the day of your son’s birth.”

For nine months, I wasn’t able to speak a single word. I imagine some women would love for God to strike their husbands with silence during their pregnancy! Husbands can say some pretty dumb things while their wives are pregnant. I suppose it’s better to be dumb than to say something dumb!

After Gabriel completed his mission, he gently flew up and vanished into the smoke rising over the altar. He departed as fast as he appeared, but I’ll never forget his words. I’ll always remember what he said about my son’s divine destiny: He would make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Although I knew I wouldn’t live long enough to see the day, I knew my son would be the forerunner of the Messiah! And I knew that God was about to do an amazing work on earth.

Just then, it dawned on me that I had been in the Holy Place for some time. The people outside were probably wondering what happened to me. So, I finished burning the incense and came out.

A Providential Pregnancy (23-25)
            When I stepped through the curtains, everyone starred at me. I guess I looked like I’d just seen a…well, an angel. As I raised my hands to pronounce the benediction, my lips moved but no words came out of my mouth. And I remembered, “Right, I can’t talk. This silence thing is going to take some getting used to.” So, I came up with some clever sign language to explain what had happened. I’m still not sure if they ever figured out what I was trying to say.

After my duties at the temple were accomplished, I rushed home to share the good news with Elizabeth. That is where I really had some explaining to do! Can you imagine this dumb old man telling his old barren wife, “Hey honey, guess what, we’re are going to have a baby?”

But Gabriel’s words came true. Elizabeth did, in fact, become pregnant. I wanted to share the good news with the whole world, but remember, I couldn’t talk. Elizabeth felt differently about it. She wanted to keep the matter private. (I suppose if you got pregnant in your late eighties, you might want to remain in seclusion too!)

For five months, Elizabeth remained in seclusion. She wanted to wait until God was ready to make his plans known. She gave up an expectant mothers’ joy of sharing her news—to wait for God’s timing!

Well, there it is! Our story is now public—our incredible story of how an old peasant couple, who had been denied God’s blessing for most of our lives, was destined to be a part of God’s great plan of salvation history. We did realize it at the time, but God’s favor was with us all along. We were prohibited from having a baby when we were younger because God had a different plan for our lives; a better one. It was God’s plan for us to be the parents of John, the one who will one day prepare the way for the Messiah!

A few months after Elizabeth became pregnant, her young cousin Mary experienced a miraculous pregnancy as well. Perhaps I will tell you that immaculate story another time.

As for us, God replaced our divine disappointment with ultimate delight. Before I leave you today, allow me to highlight just a few lessons that I have learned through this amazing ordeal:

1. First, I have learned that life is full of disappointments! There is little we can do to prevent these, but I am convinced that it is better to work through them quickly and stay focused on the tasks to which God calls us! Remaining frustrated or becoming bitter doesn’t help us; it only hurts us more!

2. Second, I have learned that some of our deepest disappointments turn out to be some of God’s greatest blessings. Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers! But we must be willing to trust him fully and wait for his timing patiently!

3. Third, I have learned that we all play an intricate role in God’s redemptive plan for the world. Some people have major roles, and other people have minor roles, but uses every human life to accomplish his sovereign plan. Sometimes it is difficult for us to understand why things happen the way they do, but this is why we must put our faith in the Lord!

4. Fourth, I learned that even good people need to rely on God. Just because someone lives a righteous life and does good, doesn’t mean that God is always going to give them what they want! We all need God’s grace, regardless of how good or bad we’ve been!

Now that I have my voice back, let me pray for you!

Over the past two weeks we have been hearing a story about a little family from the little town of Bethlehem. A famine forced Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons to flee their hometown and become refugees in the country of Moab on the other side of the Jordan River. Although they found food to sustain their lives, Elimelech died unexpectedly and left Naomi as a single mother in a foreigner land. But as time passed, both of her boys married Moabite girls and she hoped that her husband’s legacy would eventually be carried on through her grandchildren.

However, before grandchildren ever emerged, both of Naomi’s sons died. Now there were three weeping widows wondering what to do with their lives. In the midst of bereavement and bitterness, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem, and she told her daughters-in-law to return to their own mothers. But Ruth pledged to stay with Naomi always. So they returned to Bethlehem together and they happened to arrive at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Ruth decided to glean grain in the barley fields to provide food for her and her mother-in-law, and she just happened to stumble into a field belonging to Boaz, the most eligible bachelor in Bethlehem. Boaz showed incredible kindness toward Ruth and a fledgling romance formed.

 

A Matchmaking Mother-in-Law (1-2)

As the barley harvest wore on, Ruth spent her days gleaning grain in the fields, and Naomi spent her days at home thinking about her life. She continued to contemplate the meaning of the tragic death of her husband and two sons; she persisted in pondering the purpose of the emptiness she felt deep in her heart. She was surely thankful for Ruth’s loyalty and Boaz’s gracious provision of food, but she began to feel anxious about what they would do after the barley harvest was finished. Moreover, Naomi thought further into the future and wondered what Ruth would do after she died—after all, Naomi was getting any younger and her family had a history of unexpected death. She needed to find a more permanent situation for Ruth. That is when she realized that the best possible solution was for Ruth to remarry.

When Ruth came home after a long day in the fields, Naomi looked at her and said, “Hey there baby girl, I’ve been thinking—maybe it’s about time for you to open a profile on E-Harmony or Match.com. Better yet, since you are now a farm girl and a believer in the one true God, maybe you would have better luck on Christian-Mingle or Farmer’s Only. (You have all seen the advertisements for the dating service Farmers Only right? Their slogan is “City folks just don’t get it!” No! No! Just kidding! If Ruth was going to find a husband, it was going to have to happen the old-fashioned way; her mother-in-law would have to set her up on a date. So, Naomi decided to play the role of matchmaking mother-in-law.

Naomi did, in fact, begin to recognize God’s providence in bringing them back to Bethlehem during the barley harvest. She realized that it was not a mere coincidence that Ruth stumbled into Boaz’s field or that Boaz took interest in her and showed her favor. After all, Boaz was a worthy man and he was a relative, which according to the ancient priority of family solidarity, increased the chances that he might marry her. (In ancient Israel, it was common custom for a man to provide for the widowed wife of a deceased relative, and this would often result in marriage.) Seeing all of these details strung together, Naomi sensed that it was God’s plan to for Ruth and Boaz to be married!

            As in the case of Naomi, it is often in the aftermath of grief, worry, and even despair that God’s providence begins to speak to us. When we start to look up from our bitterness and self-pity, we can begin to see that everything does happen for a reason. It is amazing how God’s plan for our lives becomes clearer when we shift the focus off ourselves and look toward loving and caring for others.

            How about you? When you experience tragedy or loss, do you trust in God’s providence? Do you really believe that he is in control? When you face adversity or hardship, can you see that God has a purpose for it? When you don’t understand why things happen the way they do, do you have faith to trust God’s plan? Do you have eyes to see God’s providence guiding your life?

 

Advance the Romance (3-5)

Once Naomi realized that God’s providence was pointing toward a marriage between Ruth and Boaz, she took it upon herself to introduce what I like to call a plan to “advance the romance.” She gives Ruth some practical advice: “Wash therefore anoint yourself, put on your cloak, and go down to the threshing floor, but don’t make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. After he falls asleep, go lie down next to him and uncover his feet. And he will take it from there!” Wow! How about that for being direct?

Some of you might look at this story and accuse Naomi of being a meddling mother-in-law who was sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. (After all, mother-in-laws do have that reputation.) But here, Naomi is actually showing genuine compassion for Ruth and acting on a hunch about God’s plan for her life. She is simply playing her part in God’s providence.

What application can we glean from this scene? Ladies, take some practical advice from Mother Naomi—If you want to find yourselves a husband, take a shower, put on a decent dress, spray a little perfume, and by golly, make sure the man is well fed and has had a glass of wine before you move in for the kill! This is how you advance the romance! (How disappointing! I thought for sure I would hear an “Amen” from someone.)

            Guys, I’m not even sure what to tell you about this! I guess all I can say is that if you wake up in the middle of the night and roll over and find a woman lying beside you trying to steal your covers—it may be a sign from God that you are supposed to marry her!

All joking aside, this scene does highlight the tension between God’s providence and our responsibility. On one hand, God’s providence orchestrates the events and circumstances of our lives. His plans always trump our plans. But on the other hand, God still holds us responsible for our actions, and he wants us to employ wisdom and common sense in our decisions. If you pray about something and sense that the Lord is leading you in a particular direction (and it matches up with biblical ethics and godly people support the path), don’t wait around for some dramatic sign from God, just do it!

For example, I have some friends who say things like, “I’m not going to date anyone. I will sit back and wait for God to bring the right one along.” Others have the same attitude about a job, “I’m not going to actively search for a job; I will just wait for God to provide the right one.” While God wants us reliance upon his providence, he also expects us to take some responsibility. How do you balance God’s providence and human responsibility in your life?

 

An Indecent Proposal (6-9)

So, Ruth did everything that Naomi told her to do. She got all dolled up and snuck down to the threshing floor. (This is where they processed the barley by beating the sheaves against the ground with sticks and throwing it in the air and watching the wind blow the chaff away. The heavier kernels would fall to the ground and be piled into heaps until they were taken to the mill where they would be ground into flour.) Like a fox, Ruth cleverly hid herself among the grain piles, watched the men winnow the barley, and waited for her opportunity. As the men finished their work and enjoyed their supper, darkness fell upon them and they soon spread out their sleeping mats and took their places for the night. (To maximize time during winnowing season, they all spent the night right there on the threshing floor.) Ruth watched keenly as Boaz found a private place behind grain pile on the far side of the threshing floor and quickly fell asleep.

And just as her mother-in-law told her, she tiptoed over to him, gently uncovered his feet, and laid down beside him. Sometime around midnight, a cool breeze blew across the floor and chilled Boaz’s feet enough to awaken him. As he woke up, his nose caught the strange sweet scent of perfume and he felt someone lying next to his legs. Startled and confused, he asked the person’s identity. And that is when she laid it on him: “It is your servant Ruth. Spread your wings over your servant.” (That’s what she said!) This metaphorical innuendo was actually a marriage proposal. By this, she was saying, “As a bird spreads its wings to shelter its young from the storm, protect me and redeem me by marrying me!”

In ancient Israel, the vast majority of marriages were arranged. In the few exceptions, it was always the man who proposed to the woman. Even though Ruth’s proposal broke every cultural norm, she did not break any of God’s laws. Some legalists would have even called this an indecent proposal, but this act did not compromise her character in any way!

For those of you who are married, do you remember your proposal? Some of you have incredibly clever and romantic proposal stories and you love to tell them every chance you get. Others have proposal stories that are so mindless and mundane that you are too embarrassed to tell anyone. Can you imagine the young women asking, “Oh Ruth, tell us the story of how Boaz proposed to you?” “Well, actually I proposed to him behind a grain pile on the threshing floor in the middle of the night!” Wow, how romantic!

           I would like to take this opportunity to clear up some misnomers about Christian dating. I have been in many Christian circles where women are taught that it is morally wrong or at least spiritually scandalous to even initiate a relationship with a guy, let alone be the one to propose marriage. But this is a cultural value, a not biblical one. I hear Christians say, “Well, the man I supposed to be the spiritual leader in the relationship, so he should initiate everything.” This is a classic case of legalism, where someone takes a biblical principal and heaps a bunch of extra requirements on it. Chivalry is fine, but it isn’t necessarily biblical! I am certainly no feminist, but ladies, let me just say to you: If you meet someone like Boaz and you sense the Lord’s leading, don’t hold back! Go for it!

 

Waiting for the Unknown (10-18)

Notice Boaz’s positive response to Ruth’s proposal. He said, “Yes! I will marry you! She went to Jared!” Well, not quite, but he did bless her and compliment her for not running after the younger men. In his humility, he was grateful that a noble woman like Ruth would choose an older man like him. Indeed, age and wealth had nothing to do with it. Ruth fell in love with Boaz because of his character and kindness!

Boaz agreed to do everything in his power to marry her, but there was one problem: there was a kinsman-redeemer closer to Ruth than him. This meant that another man was a closer relation and had the legal right to redeem Ruth first. But Boaz promised her that he would deal with this issue first thing in the morning. Until then, Boaz told her to stay there with him for the night so that she would be safe but to go home early in the morning before it was light. He did this to protect their moral reputation. He didn’t want anyone thinking that there was some hanky-panky going on down at the threshing floor because there certainly wasn’t. Boaz and Ruth maintained the highest degree of moral and sexual integrity in their relationship. And Boaz showed even more kindness by sending her home with six more measures of barley.

Can you imagine the excitement and anticipation that Ruth felt when she told Naomi everything that happened? Like most brides-to-be, she wanted to have all of the wedding plans finished, but she had to wait. Naomi encouraged her by telling her to relax and wait, for Boaz would settle with the matter as soon as possible.

            Do you want to know what happen next? You are going to have to come back next week and find out how this story ends! I hope you can wait until then!           

Most of us hate waiting! Sometimes we have to wait with eager anticipation like when we get married. Or waiting for Christmas. Or waiting with dreadful trepidation for test results to come back from the doctor’s office. But we all have to wait for God’s plan to unfold in God’s timing, which is always perfect. Therefore, wherever you are and whatever situation you are facing in life, relax! Be patient! It will all be settled when it is supposed to be. Like Ruth and Naomi, you are in God’s hands!