Scripture: Luke 1:38
Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Thought for the Day: There is no real description of the angels who appeared throughout the birth narratives, and so much of what we imagine to be the appearance of an angel is influenced by art, art that came long after the New Testament was written. The Greek word we translate as angel is aggelos, a word that is more generic – messenger, envoy or one who brings tidings. This angel might have looked liked what Leonardo da Vinci depicted in his piece entitled, The Annunciation, or it might have looked like something we’ve never seen nor imagined. Whatever the case, this divine messenger made an appearance and then left. I believe we all can think of a time when we have been impacted by an envoy that sure appeared to have been God-given, and in the moment, we were awed and blessed beyond measure. But once the moment past and the blessed voice (or presence) was gone, the power of the encounter began to wane. No matter how powerful the mountaintop experience might be, and it had to have been jaw-dropping for Mary, there is still a coming off the mountain. For most of us, we’ve experienced moments of joy, ecstasy, rapture or awe, yet no one can exist permanently with such intensity. The life of faith requires us to live back in the valley. Hopefully we have been changed for the better because of the experience, but like Mary, those God-messengers do not hang out 24/7.
Prayer: O God, may the moments of inspiration, gifts from you, be moments from which I can continue to draw long after they’ve past. Amen.
