Roll On Mighty River
Musician Luke Vasella opens our Advent series with a song reminding us of the life-giving gift of Jesus’ mighty river of justice.
STEVIE WILLS
For our twenty second Advent 2024 devotional, poet Stevie Wills reflects on the joy, hope and peace we find in Jesus, even amidst sorrow and pain.
The Blessed Life
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.
Luke 1:39-56
The blessed life for Mary was joyful and sorrowful. She witnessed miracles and was forced to flee her home. For Mary, the blessed life was death and resurrection.
The blessed life can be climbing a mountain, sometimes never reaching the top. Many times, wondering why you’re even endeavouring for the top.
The blessed life can be a path of jagged edges, yet always accompanied with the hope, peace and love of God.
To work to let justice flow is the blessed life. It can be painful, heart breaking, thankless and sometimes void of tangible results.
But this is the blessed life: God’s hope, love, peace and joy will always accompany us. So let us walk the blessed life together and let justice flow.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
I spoke with angel.
He spoke peace
as I was troubled, favoured
troubled, favoured.
Peace.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
My love’s eyes moist, betrayal perceived
in me
who could believe
conceived
the inconceivable
From now on all generations will call me blessed
as I carry the seed of the life of God
God's law condemns me to death.
Cannot the grace of my love
be graced to him?
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
I must leave my home
as baby grows.
Elizabeth takes me into her home.
Refuge in a home
Away from home
she knows
the possible
of the impossible.
The Lord has provided for me.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
My love, God assured, has taken me into his home
with him, I am home
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
Again I must leave my home
by order to stroke
the king’s ego
bearing baby’s rhythmic press on pelvis
rise and fall upon donkey.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
With pain I labour
Where there’s no room for rest, comfort, hygiene
I deliver Life
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
I lay my baby boy in feeding trough
scratch, crusty food remains from its walls.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
Shepherds tongue-tied
wide light-struck eyes
try
to describe God's glory.
with voices caught by awe
they declare my son to be Christ.
The Lord has exalted those of humble estate.
From now on all generations will call me blessed
as men steeped in wisdom
find
the prize
of their pilgrimage
my son
in whom they delight
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
I must flee my home
lest my son be killed under king’s ego.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
Turtle doves two
pigeons two
all I have to offer to
he who is mighty.
At the sight of my son a man can die
a woman rejoices
proclaiming him to be redemption
and a sword will pierce my soul also.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
For three days, distressed I search for my son
wondering why God entrusted me with his son
on finding him he responds to my distress
philosophising it to be needless
for I should have known
he’d be in his father's home.
From now on all generations will call me blessed
as we celebrate in abundance
love and wine flow.
Abundance
is in my son.
He has come.
From now on all generation will call me blessed
as my son questions who are his mother and brothers
declaring the many are his mothers and brothers.
Who wiped his tears
relished snuggles
spoon fed him.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
With lies
they testify
cry
Crucify.
My stomach spins.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
Every lash
lashing my heart.
He is bleeding
I am bleeding.
His skin torn
my heart also.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
Nails pierces his hands
sword pierces my soul also.
He strains to breathe
I struggle to breathe.
The sky smothered in darkness and
I am smothered in darkness.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
Guttural groans, splatters, eyes filled with love and pain and compassion
as he hangs alone
he ensures I am not alone
and John is not alone
our belonging to each other,
From now on all generations call me blessed.
My son.
My love.
My hope.
My purpose
Dead.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
My son.
My love.
My Lord.
My Saviour.
_____
A recording of Stevie Wills' poem, 'The Blessed Life: Mary's Poem' is also available to watch and listen to here.
Stevie Wills is a performance poet, public speaker and freelance writer. She is passionate about the power of words to create life and positive change.
This devotional is part of a series of daily email devotionals for Advent 2024 reflecting on the life-giving, thirst quenching justice of Jesus we long to see flow across these lands. A justice overflowing with love and compassion, bringing forth hope, healing, nourishment and flourishing for all.
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