The Weekly Encourager - December 13, 2011 - "O Magnum Mysterium"

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God...emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant...He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to...death." - Philippians 2: 5-8

The last couple of weeks have been a struggle of highs and lows. My ankle has been bothering me again, so I'm behind on holiday preparations. The extra projects such as finally painting the upstairs hall which I thought I had "plenty of time for" will have to wait, since I have to sit down with my feet up now. My body is not as strong as it once was, which is very frustrating for an active person. And I can't seem to stop eating those Christmas goodies! I guess the Lord wants me to learn humility.

The other basso ostinato has been an increased awareness of my own sin - what a bummer! It seems that every time I start believing I've made a little progress, my sin smacks me upside the head again. Oh Lord, will I never be free? Romans 7 all over again. I won't even go into the ongoing grief over lost loved ones. "Though He slay me, I will yet praise Him."

Then comes a high point such as walking outdoors and smelling the cool air, being bathed in the pink-lavender glow of a beautiful sunset, receiving a surprise word of encouragement from Austin when I needed it most, interacting with little kids at church, or having a good laugh with friends.

One of the highlights has to be singing Christmas music. Rehearsing these uplifting pieces over several weeks' time provides opportunity to really think about the words. The Holy Spirit has been at work in this. Take, for example, "O Magnum Mysterium" ("O Great Mystery"). I'll give the Latin text and a translation. In very few words, the whole manger scene is evoked in a remarkable way.

O magnum mysterium, et admirable sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentum in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum. Alleluia!

O great mystery, and wondrous sacrament,
that animals should see the newborn Lord,
lying in their manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear
the Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!

I've sung these words many times over the years, but never fully understood that the "great mystery" is not the fact that animals saw Jesus, but that the Almighty Majestic Lord of all Creation would condescend to be bound in the tiny body of an infant. This earthly body like ours was doomed to feel pain, hunger, fatigue, illness, death. But "He humbled Himself." Christ's coming to earth for us, and the way in which He did it, is a great mystery that should evoke awe. This God is greater than we can grasp, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, His ways higher than our ways. Thus we should be humble. The more we see of God's incomprehensible greatness, the more grateful we should be.

A few weeks ago, I heard Pastor Bill Kynes preach about "The Soul of a Servant" from Psalm 123. In talking about how a servant must seek the Lord for His mercy, he said that the servant has no rights: God doesn't owe us a good marriage, a healthy baby, or anything else we want. He said a shocking thing: "You can't really receive God's mercy until you believe that you don't deserve it." Wow. Yet "God delights in showing us mercy." The pastor challenged us to practice humility. As a spiritual discipline, he said, deliberately do a task that no one else wants to do, a task that is beneath you, and do it anonymously. That has stuck in my mind ever since. Well, it's easy to think we're above all that, isn't it? After all, I'm college-educated and have certain abilities, blah blah blah. Shouldn't people recognize the gifts God has given me and place me in higher positions?!

What will it take for me to learn humility? "He humbled Himself." The disciples asked which one would sit next to our Lord in Heaven, and He rebuked them. He said if you are invited to dinner, do not sit in the best seat, but sit lower down the table, and if it's appropriate then you may be asked to move up to a better seat. I am reminded of a bridal luncheon that I threw for my friend Thérèse. Her mother Monica was dying of cancer and suffering constant pain, but she made it to my party. Another guest rebuked me for seating Monica in the seat of honor, rather than the bride. But, without having to ask, I knew that Thérèse would want to show honor to the mother she loved. The deliberate placement of guests around the table was symbolic of the bride humbling herself out of love for God.

Jesus - Coming Soon to a Manger Near You! - this Jesus was the Master who washed the feet of His servants, the Maker of all Trees who willingly died on a tree, the Son of God who became the stranger cast out beyond the city gates. My human pride is as the scales of a snake in my eyes. "Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble, when I sin in every way..." twang.

OK, well, I've asked God to make me humble, and that's probably a good place to start, but I have such a long way to go. Those cows lowing in a barn surpass me in lowliness any day. When I think about it, Christmas really is all about humility, a great and awful heroic humility that saved lives. His birth showed the mercy of God to those who least deserved it. May our response be praise and joy and song! ♪♪

A Blessed Humble Christmas to us all!
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