The holidays are filled with the full array of emotions. As Thanksgiving approached, I visited the Kelley family. Erin had just given birth to a healthy baby boy named Elijah. Everyone was smiling! There was lots of contagious joy in the room!
But then with another family there was the emotion of anger. A trust had been betrayed. A marriage was disintegrating. The damage was being calculated, attorneys were being consulted, and children were acting out in rude defiance because they were unable to cope with their pain. It was him. It was her. If only this... If only that...
With still another family there was deep sadness because a long battle against cancer was coming to an end. Family members were being called to the hospital to pay their final respects. A father was grieving the loss of a son. "Why? Oh God, why? Shouldn't a son outlive his father?"
And in yet another family, there was fear. How will we cover this month's rent or utilities? How will we give our kids the Christmas they deserve? What does the future hold? Will I have a job after the new year?
So let me ask, what emotion is predominate in your life this holiday season? Are you joyful? Are you angry? Are you filled with sadness? Are you anxious or fearful about your needs? Maybe you're riding a roller coaster of emotion and you feel all of these things. Maybe you're trying to switch off one emotion (anger) and switch on another (joy)?
One of the ways we use to try to switch our emotions is listening to music. Everyone loves Christmas carols! You walk into the store and what do you hear? You hear happy, joyful, cheerful songs! But what do you see? You see angry faces. Stressed out shoppers. Crying kids. Long lines. Exhausted workers. Music is powerful, but it's not powerful enough to take away the stress of the season. It takes something more than music, even Christmas tunes, to change our souls.
A few months ago Nic and I started talking about some of the music in the Bible. In the opening chapters of Matthew and Luke we find these Chritmas carols. The carols are spontaneous eruptions of tremendous joy and sheer exuberance. But there is a larger story to each carol. First, each carol is sung after extended bouts of sadness, anger, and fear. Some of these bouts lasted for years, even decades and centuries. Ecclesiastes 3:4 (ESV) tells us that there is, "... a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance..." A season of sadness, anger, or fear often precedes seasons of singing and dancing. You cannot rush the seasons of life. Each season has its own purpose and timing.
Secondly, each carol is sung not to manufacture an emotion, but to express a change of emotion, a change of awareness, or a change of perspective regarding the mighty working of God's hand. Carols are a response to revelation. In other words, God gives us a reason to sing. Or to be more exact, God is the reason we sing. God himself is the truest, deepest source of abiding joy that we could ever tap into. We don't sing in order to feel differently. We sing because God has acted, because we've tasted that God is good, because he's showed us his greatness, or is proving his faithfulness to us.
Consider the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus. If you have been following us on Facebook or Twitter, we've been posting status updates of what Mary's life must have felt like. In time, Mary would have much to sing about. But in the beginning, it was crisis after crisis. She wasn't quite ready to sing!
Crisis number one for Mary was: "I'm Pregnant."
Matthew 1:18 (ESV) simply says, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit." She was experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, and at least from her perspective, an ill-timed pregnancy. Nothing quite messes up an engagement quite like the statement, "Honey, I'm pregnant. It's not your baby. It's the Holy Spirit's."
Crisis number two for Mary was: "I'm Shamed."
Even today, having a child out of wedlock carries an enormous stigma. But imagine what it would have been like for Mary in her day. Matthew 1:19 (ESV) tells us that, "... her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly." In that culture, engagement was practically equivalent to marriage. To break off the engagement and wedding, you would need to divorce the woman who would be your wife. Joseph did not believe Mary's story, and was taking steps to make this thing go away! It would ruin her. It would ruin him. It would stigmatize their family name.
Crisis number three for Mary was: "I'm Terrorized."
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a fearful and insecure Herod learned of Jesus' birth, and understood from the Holy Scriptures that a great king and messiah would rise up out of Bethlehem. So what did Herod do? He sent his men on a search and destroy mission. They hunted down every all male children under two years of age and murdered them. Matthew's gospel describes the horror that took place in Matthew 2:18 (ESV). "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more."
Crisis number four for Mary was: "I'm Hungry and Thirsty."
As Herod sought the life of her son, Mary and Joseph took flight from Egypt. Just imagine their journey. They were a young couple, traveling through the desolate desert, wondering where their next meal or next drink of water might come from. They were wondering if a band of robbers lay in wait around the next turn. They didn't have a credit card. They didn't have some motel leaving the lights on for them. Every day, they would have had to depend upon God for all their needs.
Crisis number five for Mary was: "I'm Fearful."
After a few years, Mary and Joseph returned from Egypt. Their desire was to return to Bethlehem, but they heard rumors that Herod's son was now in power. See Matthew 2:22. So out of fear for their lives, they settled in Nazareth in Galilee, where they would begin their lives all over again.
Now what is remarkable is how in the midst of all these events, Mary could spontaneously erupt with joy and break into song! But she does! In Luke 1:46-56, we find the lyrics of what I consider one of great Christmas carols ever sung. In fact, these lyrics can be a comfort to any of you riding the roller coaster of anger, sadness, and fear.
So what did Mary sing about? What did she come to learn about God through her seasons of fear, doubt, anguish, sadness, shame, and terror?
God sees me.
According to Luke 1:46-48 (ESV) Mary says, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant..." There was never single moment that God's eye wasn't upon Mary and Joseph, and that's also true for you too. No matter what season you are in, God sees you, and he knows your circumstances.
God honors me.
Luke 1:48 (ESV) says, "For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed..." In time, Mary would be greatly esteemed, remembered, and honored for her service to God. The stigma from her life would be lifted. This process started with her husband Joseph. God appeared to him in a dream and explained everything that was happening. Instead of divorcing Mary, Joseph obeyed God. But in time, all the world would know the truth!
God blesses me.
Luke 1:49 (ESV) continues, "...for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." It's amazing to see how frequently God intervened and provided for Mary and Joseph. When they were in danger, God would warn them.
God rescues me.
Luke 1:50-52 (ESV) says, "And 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 mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate..." In spite of all that Herod did to protect the power of his murderous regime, Mary would live, Joseph would live, Jesus would rise, and Herod would die just a short while later. All was the hand of God.
God provides for me.
Luke 1:53 (ESV) tells us, "... he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty." Here, Mary is expressing God's power to provide for all her needs. Consider the actions of the wise men. When Mary and Joseph would face the long journey to Egypt, God sent three wise men who were bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These weren't gifts for the fireplace mantle. These were gifts to be cashed out and used for their travels to Egypt, and for their eventual return to Nazareth.
God is faithful.
Luke 1:54-55 (ESV) says, "He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." This is perhaps the most important part of the song. Mary realized that God wasn't just bringing joy into her life, but God was bringing joy to all the nations, beginning with Israel. His salvation wasn't just for Mary and Joseph, but for all of Israel.
You cannot coerce true joy. You cannot manufacture, manipulate, or mandate joy. Singing is a spontaneous response to all that God is doing in our lives and in our world. Take some time this week to read Mary's story. Where did you see evidence of God's goodness and greatness in her life? Where do you see this evidence in your life?