Enthusiastically, Dawn

Kissing the Face of God by Morgan Weistling

 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!
Luke 1:45 

The mall was crowded. The lights and glitz assaulted her eyes and mind from every direction. Her heart was heavy. It was almost Christmas. She felt empty as she walked from store to store. She longed for the aching in her heart to stop. She knew about God. She knew about Jesus. Yet, it all seemed long ago and faraway. She knew the story. She knew the birth. Yet, in this moment, in this place, it seemed as distant as a star. She thought about the star. She pondered the story. Yet she had not emerged new. She felt old. She looked through the glass display case. She longed to take hold of something she could not comprehend. But what was it? She had no name for it. There was no place for Hypocrisy and Religion in her life; that couple who had married and conceived lies. She longed for authentic faith. But she couldn’t believe. Why, she wondered? But God knew. She continued to look at the sparkling jewels. Shiny, whispers of  light. They were pretty and distracting. She lost herself in the beauty and colors of the stones, gems and trinkets. As she walked around watching everyone busy themselves with shopping, she wondered again in her mind. Mary. Favored by God. The more she knew, the less she understood. With child. Unmarried. Good news? She did not get it at all. It bothered her. It was the stirring of the birth of faith in her heart.
She wondered about Mary’s faith. How could she believe? It all seemed scary and unknown. How was it that Mary was able to have faith in the reality of it all? I mean it is so clear in hindsight. But hindsight was not what Mary had, after all. But, faith is what Mary displayed. Quiet confidence and trust in The Everlasting. It was this faith that she could not comprehend that drew her deeper into the query. It consumed her. Even now as she looked for a tiny cross to encourage herself, to gain hope again. A gift for herself from herself, to bring her back to the tiny seed of faith that was planted and crushed so long ago.

But, it was almost Christmas. 

She asked the jewelry salesgirl to see the cross. It was at that moment she saw a medallion with Mary on it. She inquired of the salesgirl who immediately retrieved it. “I would like to have it, please”, she said.

She put the medallion on the chain around her neck.
It reminded her of something she remembered from childhood.
Something good but lost.
She left the mall with her mind swirling.
I want to believe, she thought.
In her mind she thought about the young virgin.
How could she believe?
Trust?
Hope?
By outward appearance and reality Mary’s world would be turned upside down.
Love did that to Mary.
But what was accomplished through Mary,
because of her faith in God’s divine plan,
 is etched out in history forever.

After all we know that “history” is really all His Story. 

Early in my Christian walk, it was Mary’s life who God most used to draw me into a deeper, 
trusting relationship of faith with Himself. He used her humility, simple faith, and example to lead me to the feet of the King of Kings, her Son, My Savior and Lord-Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father. This Christmas I consider her again and more so now that I am further along in years, and faith; Having had my own life turned upside down due to the Lord’s plan or my own sin and foolishness, yet still finding Him faithful and true in it all. This year I am coming back to Mary and the sweet, beautiful, simple faith, that birthed the faith in a manger that I hold in my heart today.

 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 
 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 
a light for revelation to the Gentiles 
   and for glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:30-32