Day Twenty-Six
Pastor Brad Dokken
St John’s Lutheran Church
Marion, Wisconsin
Luke 1.46b-55
2 Samuel 7.18, 23-29
Galatians 3.6-14
One of my absolute favorite Christmas specials is “Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas”. It came out first in book form in 1971 and then as an HBO special in 1978. The story tells of Emmett and Otter and his Ma who work odd jobs to make ends meet. Even though they don’t have much they enjoy life – their friends, their odd jobs and each other. Independently each of them decides to enter a talent contest in hopes of winning money to buy a Christmas present for the other. It is a beautiful tale of sacrificing for others and what it means to work together for a common goal. At the end of the show the two join together to sing a beautiful song “Brothers in Our World”(also titled as “Our World”). This line always makes me pause, “Our world is always changing, everyday's a surprise. Live a lifetime of surprise Love can open your eyes. In our world.” My Christmas preparation is not complete until I’ve watched this special and I’ve heard this song. It’s a reminder to me that love wins every time, no matter how crazy life may seem.
In Luke (1:46b-55) we hear Mary’s song, a song of promise and hope that is spoken from one who is self-proclaimed lowly and a servant. We hear this beautiful song that reminds us that no matter how we might feel in our life we are given a song to sing, that God has shown mercy to all people who fear and love God, from generation to generation. Through her song Mary speaks of God’s love for us, the surprise that God has in store for us. God flips the world on its ear by taking the powerful out of a position of power and lifting up the lowly to a place of power.
Mary’s song comes to us at a time when many of us can feel frazzled and overwhelmed. Christmas day is almost here and the list of things that need to be accomplished seems to be getting longer instead of shrinking. We feel many emotions toward our fellow man and love is probably not on the top of the list. Why not stop and take a moment to hear Mary’s song spoken into your life. Be reminded that God has looked upon you with favor and loves you completely. Take the time to look at your fellow man in a different light, to see them as a fellow brother (or sister) in this world. Let love open your eyes to the surprise that God has in store for all of us.
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God, help us to look at others with the same love you have shown to us. Help us to receive the gift of love and grace you so freely give to us with joy and then share that gift with others. Remind us that though we may feel lowly and unimportant you have called us to greater things than we can imagine. Be with us as we prepare for the coming of Christ into our world and it’s in his name we pray…AMEN
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