“It is a wonderful, mysterious, hard-to-grasp, and beyond-the-scope-of our-normal-reasoning story.” Paul David Tripp
Phew! Someone more wise, more godly than me said it.
Last Easter was another one of those stake-in-the-ground times for me spiritually. I admitted first to myself and then out-loud … the resurrection … I can’t get my head around it; it is too hard to believe.
I’ve been a missionary for 50 years. Are those thoughts a seasoned missionary should entertain?
And the virgin birth – it’s right up there with the resurrection.
I find comfort in Zechariah’s life. He understands. Luke 1 shares some of his story.
He was a priest – I am a missionary. He served God vocationally. I serve God vocationally.
He was married – I am married.
He was described as righteous before God – me too.
and walking blamelessly with God – I hope that describes me.
He was human – me too.
He was a praying man – I’m there.
He knew the hard of unanswered prayer – I identify.
He was visited by and had a conversation with an angel – yes, I think so.
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Hebrews 13:2
The angel delivered an astonishing message. God was going to answer Zechariah’s prayer and he and his wife Elizabeth were going to have a son.
Eugene Peterson renders Zechariah’s response, “Do you expect me to believe this? I am an old man and my wife is an old woman.” Luke 1:18
Zechariah’s knowing didn’t allow him to believe. His humanity over-ruled.
Expectancy is being asked to arouse hope.
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”
I Corinthians 2:9
Peterson’s words in Luke 1:4 say, “so that you may know beyond the shadow of a doubt.”
This is a different kind of knowing.
This knowing is faith-based.
This knowing is trust-based.
This knowing is love-based.
This knowing is hope-based.
This knowing is mystery-based.
This knowing is expectancy.
After last Easter I wrote this prayer.
God, please grow my knowing.
Help me to press on in trust, press on in faith, press on in knowing You.
May the power of Your resurrection be my testimony, my knowing.
God, please grow my knowing. Amen.
I based it on three scriptures: John17:3, Philippians 3:10, and Hosea 6:3. I pray it for myself almost daily. And I’m keeping a list of additional scriptures I come across on the expectancy of knowing.
I identify with the words of Craig Barnes in his book, The Diary of a Pastor’s Soul, “Somewhere along the line I got much less interested in talking about this stunning hope and so much more devoted to believing it.”
The virgin birth is beyond-the-scope-of-my-normal-reasoning. I’m human. I’m glad. I want to live with the expectancy of knowing an amazing, very big, very wise, very able, very mysterious, very loving, God.
God, help me to live with faith-based expectancy this Advent, the expectancy of You showing up in surprising ways. God, please continue to grow my knowing. Amen.
“The safest place to camp in this mystery is worship.”
Bryan Counts
My friend Kate created this bookmark for me from the prayer I wrote last Easter. Let me know in the comments if you would like one. Merry Christmas.
Copyright, Sue Tell, December 2021
I loved Craig Barnes’ book! I came across this quote from Luther recently that reminds me of what you wrote. He said the incarnation consisted of three miracles. “The first, that God became a man; the second, that a virgin was a mother; and the third, that the heart of man should believe this.”
Thank you Bryan. Another affirmation. So encouraging. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, Sue,
Surely the “knowing'” must be Holy Spirit placed…our Pastor was talking about Simeon in Luke 2 – what a story of knowing – of expectancy that was when Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to go to the temple at the time Jesus was being brought there as a baby. He was waiting for the ‘consolation of Israel’ and was so satisfied when he saw Baby Jesus that he knew he had seen what God promised he would and what he had waited for it and he said, “Lord, you are letting your servant depart in peace.”
Yes, Sue, I would love one of your bookmarks. And Merry Christmas to you and yours – from me and mine!
Laurel, you are so right. Simeon is a wonderful illustration of living with expectancy, living with the hope of God showing up. And what a wonderful gift from God – peace. Simeon’s expectancy was blessed with peace. May that be that be our reality too as we live with the expectancy of God showing up.
On a lighter … and kind of related note … Simeon was one of the character’s highlighted in our church’s Christmas program. He said in Sunday School this morning that it was kind of discouraging that because he was old enough to play Simeon, he didn’t need any make-up. His natural was apparently close enough to what Simeon really looked like! 🙂
And I’d love to send you one of my bookmarks.
My friend Marian is a wonderful writer. She communicated in different words some of what I have been experiencing and wrote about, “For the Honest Doubters at Christmas” I hope you’ll take a minute to read her words taken from the gospel of Matthew. (Even John the Baptist had doubts.) THANK YOU, Marian. You have greatly blessed me.
http://marianvischer.com/