Surrender: 12/3-4/2011

As we started our Christmas series this weekend, The Present, we looked at Mary's willingness to surrender to the hand of God in what would have been an incredibly difficult moment.  We talked about how she must have practiced surrender over a whole lifetime in order to play the special role she plays in the birth and life of Jesus.  We talked briefly about a few stories where Mary has to let go of the way she thinks things should be.  But there is one other story where Mary actually does get her way...

In John 2.1-11, Jesus is at a wedding with all of his friends and his mother (this almost always results in awkwardness).  When they run out of wine, Mary goes to Jesus.  She knows there's something about him. She knows that he can do the impossible.  She knows that this might be an opportunity for him to show the crowd what happens when he gets involved. 

At first, Jesus resists.  Maybe because it was his mom asking.  Maybe because he was still young enough to resist his mother's instruction.  He's not sure it's the right time. 

But like a lot of moms, Mary can see that it is the right moment.  She does know best.  She walks away, telling the servants to watch Jesus and wait for him to move. 

For whatever reason, Jesus listens to his mother.  Suddenly, giant jars filled with water are filled with fine wine. 

I love that one of Jesus' miracles involves a celebration.  I love that we get to see this little picture into the dynamic between the Son of God and the woman God cast as his earthly mother.  And I love that for all her moments of surrender, Mary gets at least one moment where something in life goes the way she wants it to. 

As we approach Christmas this year, we hope you are able to engage in the Present moment:

Is there an area or a situation where you need to practice the kind of surrender we see in Mary?

Is there something you feel like God may be calling you to fight for?  Or give up?

How is the future distracting you?  How is the past distracting you?

If you want to think a little more about "The Present," this series was partly inspired by The Precious Present by Spencer Johnson.  You may want to check it out.

Also, if you want to think some about what it means to celebrate Advent, or to pay attention to the moment right before the Christmas moment, here's the Archbishop of Canterbury talking about Jesus and chocolate.  You'll be much wiser after these ten minutes.

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