Two Unplanned Pregnancies

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
Luke 1 (click the link)


KEY VERSES:
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” (Luke 1:18)

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34)


REFLECTIONS:
Since the day's reading is quite lengthy, I'll keep things short and sweet today.

Luke’s gospel tells of two announcements of two unplanned pregnancies. The situations were vastly different; the responses were very different too. Luke 1 is WAY too deep to communicate here all the awesome truth it contains, so I’ve hit some of the highlights. 

Different Settings (Luke 1:5-12; 26-29)—
Zechariah was one of 18,000 priests and served in the temple twice a year, but only once in his life would he get to assist in the daily offering by going into the holy place. On this day, he won the “lottery” and got to offer incense. Right in the middle of Zechariah’s religious activity before the whole nation in its religious center, Gabriel appeared to Zechariah. 

Five or six months later, in a small rural “truck stop” of a town in a region 45 to 85 miles north of Jerusalem, Gabriel again appeared, this time to Mary. We don’t know the exact setting, but it surely was vastly different from the temple in Jerusalem—a contrast between a very public setting and a very private one. Also note: Gabriel’s announcement was to John’s father, and to Jesus’ mother.

Similar Announcements (Luke 1:13-17; 30-33, 35-37)—
Gabriel told Zechariah that his prayer had been answered. Since Zechariah and his wife had given up on having children, his prayer was probably concerning his nation’s hope of a Messiah. Even so, having a child would fulfill a long-abandoned desire. So God was actually answering two requests at once—one national, the other personal. (Here’s a nice side-lesson for us—sometimes God’s answers to prayer come in surprising ways long after we’ve stopped praying them.) Gabriel’s announcement to Zechariah included the position, character and mission of the child. 

When Gabriel talked with Mary, the mood was very different. A simple calmness existed in the exchange between them. Gabriel’s announcement about Jesus included his position, his authority, and his divine ties. Note that whereas Gabriel said that Zechariah’s prayer was answered, he complimented Mary on her character and blessed position.

Different Responses (Luke 1:12, 18; 29, 34, 38)—
Zechariah’s initial startled reaction to the presence of an angel then moved to abject fear. He might have feared that he had done something wrong in administering the incense for the nation and that the angel was going to harm him. When Gabriel told Zechariah about the unplanned pregnancy, Zechariah’s response was very human—he knew that he and his wife were too old to conceive a child. Zechariah, as righteous as he was, needed to learn that God would do what he promised. Zechariah’s temporary deaf/mute condition, a judgment from God, allowed the priest time to reflect on what he needed to learn. 

Mary’s initial reaction to Gabriel wasn’t about his appearance, but his opening greeting. She had no idea if what he said was good news or not. After hearing Gabriel’s announcement, Mary’s response wasn’t disbelief, but she did wonder what would happen. Since she didn’t know how God was going to create a child within her, she asked, “How WILL this be?” (Not, “How CAN this be?” which is basically what Zechariah wondered.) Mary’s faithfulness and obedient nature are seen in her final statement to Gabriel, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

The contrast between Zechariah’s and Mary’s responses to Gabriel’s announcement isn’t a contrast between good and bad. Both were godly people. We learn from them that we can encounter God anywhere, at any time, in any circumstance. We discover from them that fear, uncertainty and misunderstanding are natural—and that we should have faith in the One for whom nothing is impossible. We learn that God answers prayer, that he works in the miraculous and supernatural, and that sometimes he chooses an individual to work through.


PRAYER:
How often, Father, is my response to you similar to Zechariah's? You know the ways I try to put you in a box and limit you. You know the way I struggle to believe that all things are possible for you. I confess these things and ask that you might teach me to be more like Mary. I want to be the kind of person who naturally and easily responds: “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”


WHO AM I
I am Tres Sansom and I love my siblings, Phillip and Natalie. My brother and his crew are part of the PRF family (they drive in from Buda almost every Sunday). He's a fantastic electrician, possesses a stuntman-like wild streak, can still quote all the lyrics to Sir Mix-A-Lot rap songs, and has a scar on the back of his head courtesy of his older brother. My sister and her family just recently moved back to Southern California. L She's a loving stay-at-home mom, possesses a contagious laugh, loves to dance like crazy to Michael Jackson songs, and has a special ability to love just about any dog alive.