"A gift from our community of faith to you. Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is devoted to preparing outstanding leaders for Christ’s church. One of the ways we nurture leaders is by building a loving community of faith and extending God’s grace to others. In this season of anticipation, we extend God’s grace to you and invite you to explore this book of Advent devotions. Through this collection, please join us as we prepare to receive God’s greatest gift—the birth of Jesus Christ."
• CLICK HERE for a downloadable/printable copy of this season's devotionals.
• CLICK HERE to learn how you can support the mission of Austin Seminary
Advent Devotional for Third Sunday
December 17
• Luke 1:46b-55
hen I chose these verses, I did so just at a glance, knowing I like Luke. I had forgotten they were about the Virgin Mary and the song she prayed while visiting Elizabeth—the song about the joy of having a baby growing inside her. Though I chose seemingly randomly, I am reminded that there is never a coincidence.
I have been supporting women in birth, either by their sides or catching their babies, since 2006. I have always loved Mother Mary, who held a prominent place in my grandmother’s home, and whose glory stayed with me in my training as a midwife. Mary is always close to midwives, as we are in praise of pregnancy, birth, and motherhood, and see it as divine. Midwives see birthing women as sacred vessels, as conduits; clear channels through which children are born, children that reflect God’s greatness. And we acknowledge that our children are not ours, they are God’s children. They belong to the Universe.
And, yet, we are all birthing something, just by virtue of being alive on earth. When we fulfill our purpose, we fulfill our true selves; we have birthed something to feel proud of, reflecting God’s gifts in us.
But how can we know we are fulfilling God’s purpose for us on Earth?
I think of Mother Mary not only when I think of my grandmother or of my midwifery practice, but in the Beatles song most of us know and love, “Let it Be.” We can only be vessels for God’s purpose when we find peace in our hearts. We cannot do it in anger, fear, hate, or grief. We have to let those be.
For me, everything is a birth metaphor: from the mystery of the first trimester all the way to the pains of labor. We have a conception stage, a creation stage, a birth phase, even a blissful postpartum. When we continue to trust ourselves and follow the gentle nudges that make up who we are, we continue to trust in God, fulfilling every promise ever created for us to birth into the world. Our lives are not random, though they may seem that way at times. This is the female receptive mode. It is the be, not the do. In this way, we can birth what we came here on earth so determined to birth.
God, the eternal midwife who births us into being with the spark of Divine Love, in your tender mercy, open our hearts to see the Divine in all. Amen.
Margaret Burns
Student from Panama City, Florida
For the glory of God and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a seminary in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition whose mission is to educate and equip individuals for the ordained Christian ministry and other forms of Christian service and leadership; to employ its resources in the service of the church; to promote and engage in critical theological thought and research; and to be a winsome and exemplary community of God's people.
No comments:
Post a Comment