Advent, Girl Power, and Creative Redeemer

Yesterday marked the first day of Advent (already?!). I'm a little embarrassed to share that last year was the first time I heard of Advent. I don't know, maybe churches that I've attended in the past talked about it and I just happened to not pay attention on Sundays this time of the year. Either way, when I learned about the season of Advent last year, everything was new to me- but it made perfect sense. If we have Lent for Easter, of course it makes sense to have Advent for Christmas! I love the idea of taking time to prepare for His coming on Earth, the physical presence of Emmanuel.

My small group at church decided to prepare during this season by studying the different individuals involved in the coming of Jesus. Yesterday we studied about Mary and her faithfulness and obedience in light of what she learns about her role in the coming of the Savior. While we took a brief look at Jesus' genealogy as written by Matthew, I noticed that there were five women included in the list. I'm not sure exactly why Matthew included these women. Maybe it was because they played fairly prominent roles in the male-dominated history of the Israelites. What was more fascinating to me were the names of the women that Matthew chose to include. The five women included in the genealogy in Matthew 1 are:

1. Tamar: thrice married to the same family, the last time disguised as a prostitute to sleep with her father-in-law
2. Rahab: a foreigner and a former prostitute
3. Ruth: a foreigner and twice married
4. Bathsheba: twice married, former husband killed by the latter (highlighted by Matthew's reference to her as "Uriah's wife" instead of using her name)
5. Mary: teenage mom pregnant out of wedlock

Most of them at some point led lives that were totally outside the boundaries of what was considered proper and righteous back then. Some of them probably had to deal with disapproval from their community if not outright condemnation or discrimination. All of them, I imagine, had to deal with brokenness and questions of self-worth (oh, how I wish I could chat with them over tea!). I wonder if any of them had any idea that God would use them, their broken pasts and all, to fulfill His promise of sending the ultimate Savior. I'd like to believe that in their desperate prayers, God gently wiped away their tears and assured them of their worth and His love for them.

Perhaps this is why they are part of the genealogy in Matthew 1- to remember that their stories do not take away but richly add to Matthew's theme of Jesus as the prophesied fulfillment as promised in the Old Testament. The line through which God chose to send His beloved son is full of messy people with broken pasts and sinful acts. The creativity with which God brings redemption to this world fills me with awe and makes this season of Advent that much more meaningful.

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me-

holy is his name.

- Mary's Song Luke 1:46-49