Meek? Who, Me?!...Eek!...Pray Simply, Live Meekly

My time in God's Word has been very powerful this week. As I seek him more and more, he is revealing more and more to me. It's amazing! This week I read an awesome article from Proverbs 31 ministry about Mary, the Mother of Jesus. It was great! The devotion was written by Max Lucado and is entitled "The Power of a Simple Prayer." In it he talks about how life doesn't always fit our mold for it, that the pieces we are given don't always go together, and that things often don't work out the way we think they should. The important part, though, is how we react to that. Is our response one of fear, anger, frustration, or prayer? He reminds us of the power of a simple prayer by highlighting John 2, which tells the story of a wedding in Cana that both Jesus and his mother were invited to. While Jesus was there, the wedding party ran out of wine. Most of the women I know are fabulous hostesses and I know they would be freaking out over this, particularly of what others would think of them for it! Mary's reaction, however, was very much different and sets an example for us all. She didn't fret, she didn't gossip, she simply went to Jesus and told him the problem. All she said was: "They have no wine." Plain and simple, end of story. And yes, that is a prayer. Any form of communication with God is prayer. What is so amazing and powerful about Lucado's interpretation of this event is that he highlights all the things Mary did not do, the things we often tend to.

When Mary became aware of this big problem she wasn't bossy. She didn't tell Jesus exactly what she wanted him to do about it, which was particularly convicting for me. I tend to do this not only in my daily interaction with my husband and others, but also in my prayers. I talk a lot, which is a big part of the problem, but my tendency to think I always know best also leads me to tell Jesus exactly what I want him to do. I don't just come to him with a problem and ask for help, at least not usually. I tend to tell him precisely how I would like him to help me. Example: "Well Lord, I'm feeling very discouraged and stressed because the moving company might not be able to have our things here until after we need to be out of the temporary housing. I don't know where we will stay and it will be so difficult for Caleb to have to sleep and adjust to yet another temporary 'home,' if the company has to move us to a hotel for a few days. It's really not preferable, Lord. Can you please help the moving truck to get here before November 18? Or could you help the company allow us to at least stay here another few days? Thank you. I ask all this in the name of Jesus my Lord, Amen." Typical Kim prayer, I'm sad to say, and not at all what Jesus wants to hear. Is he happy I'm coming to him with my problems? Of course. But does he want me (little old human me) to tell him (oh you know, just God) exactly how it would be best for him to handle it? Um...no! Mary did not try to fix the problem herself, like I tend to before I turn it over to God, she simply turned it over to Jesus for him to handle it how he thought best. How inspiring! She also did not gossip about the party-planners ("Gosh, how terrible! Can you even believe it Jesus?! Who plans a wedding without enough for people to drink. How embarrassing! Really, what is this world coming to?!"), she did not blame Jesus ("What kind of God are you anyways? If you were really in control of everything, this never would've happened"), nor did she blame herself ("It's all my fault Jesus. Punish me. I failed as a friend. Now the wedding is ruined and their marriage will surely collapse as a result. I am to blame for it all"). Pick whichever of these suits you best and is your typical response. I know what mine is. But then realize that Mary, who sets an example for us all here, did not of these things. Why? Because none of them are how Jesus calls us to act or pray. Mary also didn't "whine about the wine," as we tend to do when things aren't going our way, she simply presented the problem to Jesus. Seriously, how simple. How powerful. How awesome.

Equally as important to note, if not more, is Jesus' response. "Woman, what does your concern have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." His mother then said to the servants, "Whatever he says to you, do it!" Now before you react the way I did when I first read this passage, thinking that Jesus' response didn't sound very nice, you need to see what he does. Because in truth, Jesus was not planning to perform a miracle at this wedding. Jesus seemed to have pre-planned times and circumstances to reveal his power to people so he could glorify God and bring people to him. Yet, even still, he answers Mary's cry for help. (Sidenote: We see countless examples throughout scripture of Jesus deviating from his plans to help or heal someone who needed it, someone just like me and you). He told the servants to fill the pots with water and turned the water into the best wine! The problem was solved, the prayer was answered, and a crisis was avoided. Why? Because someone went to Jesus first with the problem, instead of trying to "fix" it themselves, presenting it simply and faithfully. And I think that's how Jesus really wants us to pray to him - not forcefully, not angrily, not bossily, not critically, but simply and faithfully. Jesus understands our emotions and he accepts us exactly as we are, which includes emotions and drama and whining and anger, but he longs for us to learn how to approach him faithfully and simply, confident he will provide the best solution (even if it isn't what we think is best). That's where trust comes in.

Another great example Mary gives us is actually what the Lord led me to in His Word the following day, from the very beginning of Luke. This is where Mary finds out that she is going to give birth to the Savior of the world. To me, her response is even more amazing than the one above. An angel came to Zechariah and told him that his wife Elizabeth was going to give birth to a baby that was to be called John (the Baptist), a baby who would be great in the sight of the Lord. Zechariah's response was one of doubt. "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." As a result, the angel silenced Zechariah until the day it happened, since he did not believe. When the angel came to Mary to tell her she was to give birth to Jesus, her response was very different. "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" Mary asked a question, yes, but her question itself was very different. Zechariah's question was one of doubt, where Mary's was one of  wonder and affirmation. Zechariah wanted to know if it would happen, where Mary wanted to know how it was going to happen. See the difference? When the angel told Mary the Holy Spirit would come on her and that is how she would conceive, her response was: "I am the Lord's servant. May your word to me be fulfilled." WOW! I mean, WOW! When I think of all the things I would have said if I was her, and all the questions I would want to ask, that is surely not what I would've said. I tend to let my questions run rampant when I am presented with big news, rather than my faith. My natural response is that I need to know as much as possible about what is going to happen ahead of time, so I can "feel" better. Mary, however, was faithful before she had the answers to the questions I'm sure she had in her head. Her questions didn't dominate her thinking, her faith did! What a powerful example. Just imagine finding out you, a virgin, are about to give birth to God-incarnate. Would you not have a-million-and-one questions about everything, particularly what you are supposed to do, how you are supposed to raise him, where you are supposed to raise him, what this will mean for your future, how God wants you to handle the questions people will ask about the pregnancy, etc etc. I mean, for real! I can think of 60 questions in about 60 seconds flat! I'm sure Mary had questions, but she only asked one, one that was laced with both wonder and faith. Interestingly, Mary, who did not ask a question like Zechariah did, received confirmation of the news and more details pretty soon after. God revealed his plans in his timing, and that was all she needed. We often want to know everything that's going to happen in our lives ahead of time, but this is not how God designed us to live. He knows the plans he has for us and will give us everything we need to live our lives as he has called us to, and that should be more than good enough. The Holy Spirit came over Elizabeth, who gave Mary confirmation of the news the angel told her, and then the angel also appeared to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born, who came to Mary and proclaimed even more amazing things. She was being given, from God himself, all she needed.

Her response to the shepherds proclamations when Jesus was born was equally as amazing to me. She "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Um, wow. Just think, on the night you give birth to the Savior of the world, what you would be doing. Is there any bigger news you could ever receive in your life?! I imagine someone today immediately posting on Facebook "Just gave birth to the Savior of the World!!!! #yourewelcome #gome #whosethefairestofthemall?" I mean, really! I imagine the mother picking up the phone to call or text everyone she knows, I imagine her taking selfies with baby Jesus, and paparazzi immediately swarming the manger to snap shots while the mom fixes her hair, talks about herself, and plays humble for the interviewers. I imagine that woman today would be very focused on fame, money, reputation, and status. Think about how you react to great news. Would you fall to your knees and thank Jesus before anything else, treasuring his blessing in your heart (as Mary did), or would you formulate a Facebook post and spread the news? Another powerful example. I spent a lot of time pondering this one. And just like Max Lucado, I thought about all the things Mary didn't do when she found out she would give birth to Jesus. She didn't boast, she didn't take credit for Jesus, she didn't seek answers to her questions or further details, she didn't fear the future and what this would mean for her family down the road (yikes, this was particularly convicting for me), and she didn't talk to others or spread the news herself....at all. The two key words in this chunk of scripture about Mary are "ponder" and "treasure." She pondered the news, or weighed it in her mind, and she treasured it, or held it and kept it as precious, valuing it very much. Perhaps we should be seeking to ponder more than talk, and treasure more than hop on our iphones or Facebook pages to share with everyone else.

I think I should share what happened to me today. I've been pondering Mary's example a lot over the past few days. I have been praying that Jesus will shower me with the grace I need to be more like her. I've been praying he will help me be all the things she was that don't come naturally to me. Today, right before I opened up my bible, I realized I had forgotten to check my hubby's schedule to see if I can help my sister out a day she asked about. As I paged through, I noticed he was off on Thanksgiving. What?! How could that be? This is our first holiday away from our families, just having moved, and I didn't even think restaurants were open on Thanksgiving or Christmas! I mean, c'mon! I immediately picked up my phone to tell my husband he was working and would miss Thanksgiving, and how not okay with that I was. My fingers flew over the keys as I expressed my unhappiness with his company for even being open, not to mention his bosses for scheduling someone who already wasn't going to be able to see most of their family but could at least spend the day with his wife and kid! Now usually I put Caleb down for his nap and immediately spend time with Jesus, but today I checked Shawn's schedule first. Not. Good. I texted my sister about it too and how upset I was (doesn't sound like I went right to Jesus with my problem, now does it? Thank goodness Christians aren't expected to be perfect, and that Jesus forgives us and helps us do better time and time again). Then I finally made my way into my room to open "Jesus, Calling!" and BAM! Lets just say, he nailed me! Today's devotion talks about how there will be countless small decisions that need to be made throughout our day, and that most people's decisions are a combination of their habitual responses and their desire to please themselves or others. This is not his way for us. Jesus says that he wants us to strive to please him in everything, not just the major decisions, and assures us that when we are lively in close communication with him, we will almost instinctively know what will please him. I am definitely starting to feel that way. I know that today, instantly reacting to the problem of my husband working Thanksgiving off of emotion was not Godly. I know that spewing off texts to my husband about how not okay I was about that, obviously more concerned with myself than anything else, was not Godly. Yet again, I should've prayed first. I should've gone to Jesus first, instead of my iphone or my sister. When we are mostly concerned with pleasing ourselves instead of gone, a slew of sin will inevitably follow. Psalm 37:4 was one of the verses attached to the devotion today, and it says to "take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Quite simply, if we delight in pleasing God and living for him, he will give us everything our hearts desire. I imagine that God, who created me, knows what will make me joyful and what my heart desires much more than I do. So I don't have to quarrel with my husband over a holiday. God knows what I need, and he will provide. And if Shawn works Thanksgiving, that will be okay. God has provided for us amazingly so far in Georgia, and life in this world isn't perfect. Maybe Shawn won't be able to spend the holiday with his family, but God is still sovereign, and he's still good, and we still have everything in the world to be grateful for.


In closing, which is what I thought I was doing in the last paragraph but by now you know me and how long these posts tend to be, when I continued to read more of Psalm 37 I  noticed that God asks us to be still and wait patiently for him, to trust in him, not to fret (man this one is so hard for me), to refrain from anger, and he then says that the wicked (those who often appear to be "winning" here on Earth) will be no more and the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. I know the general idea of what meek means but I decided to look up the definition. It means "having or showing a quiet and gentle nature; not wanting to fight or argue with other people; enduring suffering with patience and without resentment." Wow. So God is telling us that despite what the world teaches, it isn't the ones who boss people around to get what they want and fight their way to the top that will inherit prosperity, it's the ones who are gentle and quiet, the ones enduring suffering without resentment. Wow. It isn't easy to suffer is it? But Jesus calls us to suffer a loss of a loved one or of health or of a job without resentment, trusting him with it all. Then my eye fell one something that did actually surprise me about the word "meek." Something from my Google search said, as a definition, "Meekness is a possible attribute of human nature and behavior. It is defined as righteousness, humble, teachable, and patient under suffering; willing to follow gospel teachings; an attribute of a true disciple." Oh my word, what a definition! This one made me think about how much more weight the word "meek" carries than I thought. That definition, to me, sums it all up - it's exactly how Christ wants me to be. He wants me to be gentle, quiet (oh Lord, help me with this one), submissive, trusting in him with the things that happen to me in this world rather than fighting to change them, patient, and not fighting with others. This world teaches us to go after what we want, to stand up for ourselves, to be competitive, to be bossy (confident as they say), and to attain as much "success" as we can here, but Jesus calls us to a whole other life. He promises, to the meek, peace, prosperity, and God's inheritance. Lord, may that promise be our motivation to live more meekly, humbly, tenderly, quietly, and submissively. And may you give us all the grace we will need, each moment and decision at a time, to do just that. Amen.