God is greater than highs and lows

                                         

-Jeremiah 31:31-34, Luke 1:46-56 (Mary’s Magnificat)-

 

12.8.24.

Mars Hill UMC

                                            

<歌舞音曲 (가무음곡)>

歌舞音曲 (가무음곡) means song, dance, and music are connected as one. Have you ever been so moved by a song that you started dancing without thinking? I heard square dancing was once popular, with people gathering once a week at the rec center in this area. At Mars Hill UMC, there were professional dancers, and people parked downtown to spend time together on weekends. When was the last time you danced or sang happily?

In high school, I was an emcee for a festival. My partner and I performed a tango before going on stage. I practiced all summer, bending my back repeatedly. We danced behind a curtain, with our shadows reflected on it, and tore it down as we began hosting. That was my first and last tango.

Now, let me ask: When was the last time you danced or sang to praise God? Just as Miriam danced after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15:20-21), the Israelites danced joyfully during feasts (Psalm 149:3, 150:4), and David danced with all his heart, unaware his pants were falling, when was the last time you praised God with such joy that you couldn’t help but dance?

Sometimes we feel too tired or sad to sing or dance. Sometimes we spend our days just trying to get through. Maybe the holiday season reminds you of loved ones who are gone. As we age, some of us stop dancing or singing because our bodies ache. When we’re in pain—physically, mentally, or spiritually—In the middle of trials, without knowing the big picture, it’s hard to sing, dance, or praise God with joy. it’s hard to dance.  

 

                                   

                                  

<A Time for Mourning>

- Barren Mothers, Chosen Children

In the Bible, many experienced deep sorrow. Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel could not have children for years. Why did God wait until Abraham and Sarah were so old to give them a child? Why did Rebekah and Isaac, the promised son, wait so long? Why did Jacob have to wait for Rachel’s children? Hannah, also barren, endured Peninnah’s cruel teasing and prayed with such sorrow that people thought she was drunk. Naomi, who lost her husband and two sons in Moab, returned home with her daughter-in-law Ruth and asked to be called "Mara," meaning "bitterness," instead of "Naomi," meaning "joy." She felt broken, like other barren women. In Luke’s Gospel, Elizabeth, though righteous with her husband Zechariah, also had no children for many years.

                                

- Barren Men for the people

It wasn’t just women who waited in sorrow. Men like Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Elijah, and Nehemiah carried the burdens of their people and prayed for a new life, a new kingdom, and a new covenant.

The prophet Jeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," teaches us how to mourn for others. He warned God’s people for 40 years about a disaster from the north. In 587 B.C., his warnings came true when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. Jeremiah saw this tragedy happen.

God told Jeremiah not to marry or have children. In his time, there was no concept of a single, childless man like we understand today. Jeremiah didn’t just deliver the bad news of Israel’s tragedy; he lived it. His life reflected the brokenness of the nation, full of potential yet left barren.

Even when Jeremiah couldn’t sing or dance, God gave him the promise to hold onto: “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel” (Jeremiah 31:31). This new covenant wouldn’t be like the old ones with their ancestors. God promised to write it on their hearts, forgive their sins, and remember their wrongs no more.

Many great people in the Bible went through mourning and dark times when they couldn’t sing or dance. They endured, like during the 400 years of silence between Malachi and Matthew when God sent no prophet, king, or Messiah.

                               

                              

<A Time for Dancing>

In the silence, a poor and unknown girl named Mary waited and hoped for the Messiah. God chose her to be His mother. When the angel Gabriel appeared, he said, "Do not be afraid, woman favored by God. You will give birth to a son, the Messiah." Mary asked, “How can this happen?” My children have been asking how babies are born, so I’ve been explaining it with books and drawings. Maybe Mary, like a curious child, asked the angel, “How can this happen?”

The angel explained that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and God’s power would make it happen. He also told her that her elderly relative Elizabeth was pregnant, which must have felt like a miracle. Filled with faith, Mary responded, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord,” trusting God’s word would come true.

Mary’s song, the Magnificat in Latin, is a humble confession of faith, focused on God’s greatness and His promise of salvation. She thanked Him for lifting the humble, feeding the hungry, and showing mercy. “He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant,” Mary said, declaring, “From now on, all generations will call me blessed.” I believe Mary didn’t just sing quietly—she likely praised God with music and dance, expressing the joy of her confession. I am sure that Mary danced like Elizabeth. We are glad to have her who loves to dance for God. We’ll see her dance Give Thanks again this Saturday.

Mary’s song echoes the praises of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, Naomi, and Elizabeth. It also reminds us of David dancing with joy when the Ark of the Covenant returned and Nehemiah celebrating after rebuilding the wall. Mary, rejoicing in God’s faithfulness, sang and danced with joy. Those who once mourned now began praising and dancing. God is the God of the brokenhearted.

 

<God is greater than highs and lows>

Are we weary? Are we broken? Do we truly understand the struggles of barren women and men for God’s people? Their songs remind us of hope and give us peace. Mary’s Magnificat proclaims God’s promise fulfilled through Jesus Christ as Jeremiah prophesied.

                                 

                                             

God, who created the universe, came to Earth as a tiny baby. When Jesus was conceived, He was as small as a dot from a pen, yet Mary knew He would become the Savior. She sang a hymn of faith, believing God’s promise when Jesus was the size of a dot. That tiny child grew in her womb, where her presence felt as vast as the universe to Him as a human. He was born as Jesus, and we celebrate His birth on Christmas. But Christmas isn’t just a memory. Jesus lives in us now through the Holy Spirit. He may start small, like a tiny holy seed, but He grows within us, becoming the Mighty God who can do incredible things as He created the universe.

The phrase "God is greater than the highs and lows" reminds us that God is constant and sovereign no matter what happens in life. It means that during moments of great joy (highs) or deep sorrow and difficulty (lows), God’s love, strength, and wisdom remain steadfast.

Each day, I pray for God to reveal the people we are called to serve, just as Jesus came for the poor and the forgotten. I ask Him to guide my family and our church to recognize those in need. Though we may sometimes feel like barren women longing for hope, or like Jeremiah, weeping for his people, we trust in God, who is greater than our highs and lows. He will lead us to sing and dance for His glory. Amen.