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December 10, 2006

“What the Lord has done for me”

Luke 1: 5-25

They had waited so long for a child. And one day, she learned that she was pregnant. They dreamed of what he would be when he grew up. Would he be a doctor? Would he be a lawyer? Deep down, the dad was hoping for a baseball player. And then the child is born.

He is born with a rare genetic disorder that leaves him without eyes and the inability to fully straighten his arms and legs. The parents are at a loss of what this means for them and what it means for their child. All their visions and dreams of their child growing up and leading a healthy life are dashed. And the father realizes that this means no baseball player. There is no future for their son. Just a life filled with the doctor, treatments, and maybe not being able to live at home. There is no hope. There is no future. There are no possibilities for their son.

Years go by and the child continues to grow up happy. And then something changes. Something miraculous happens. A moment as if someone is saying, “Do not be afraid. You will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. He will prepare the way for the Lord.”

The parents, being musicians, use music to calm the baby. And one day, at the age of nine months, the young boy starts to play notes on the piano with dad and by the age of 2, he is able to play song, just by listening to the tune. Music becomes a vital part of this young boy’s life and he begins to play the trumpet in the fourth grade.

The dad realizes that he may not have his baseball player, but he does have a miracle. His little boy is a music prodigy. And now, his son’s life is filled with promise and possibilities.

You may be thinking, Heather, you made up that story. And I have to tell you that although I may have taken some artistic license with it, this is the true story of Patrick Henry Hughes.
And the story does not end there. Among other things, Patrick is a concert pianist who has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., a recording artist, and most importantly, a straight A student.
Patrick Hughes is now a freshman at the University of Louisville and he is a part of the marching band! When he enrolled at the University of Louisville, he knew he wanted to be part of the marching band, but it wasn’t until he was encouraged by the band director, that Patrick decided to join the marching band. But he just didn’t want to sit on the field. He wanted to march!

Originally, Patrick and his dad were not sure how this was going to work, but where there is a will, there is a way. The family modified the wheelchair and after some practice, Patrick earned a spot in the marching band along with his dad. For you see, Patrick’s dad plays the role of Patrick’s eyes and legs on the field.

In the interview that I caught, the announcer shares a little bit of the background concerning Patrick and said that that Patrick is the sound of possibilities to the world.

On Thursday night, Patrick Hughes was awarded the Disney Spirit Award from the National College Football Association. As Patrick accepted the award, he thanked God for making him. And continued by saying that God made him special in this way, so that people would understand that the possibilities are endless as long as you have people supporting you and faith. Look at what the Lord has done for me.

The possibilities are endless as long you have people supporting you and faith. Just look at what the Lord has done for you and for me.

That is what the author of Luke is telling us today. Nothing is impossible with God as long as you have faith. Just look at Elizabeth and Zechariah. They are like so many couples in the Bible who are older and without children. But that doesn’t stop God from working through them to achieve something amazing.

We have all heard this type of story before. It is very typical of many of the stories from the Old Testament. It has some of the same themes for other birth stories in the Old Testament. There is an older couple who lived a good and righteous life in the sight of the Lord, but have no children to provide them with security or the hope of lineage or passing on the family name.

And then suddenly, God remembers and sends an angel to let the people know that they are having a child. And the reaction is always different. Abraham takes it all in stride while Sarah laughs. It is barely mentioned in the Isaac and Rebekah story. Isaac prays and God grants the prayer. For Jacob and Rachel, it is an argument where Rachel blames Jacob for withholding children.

And each time, an angel tells that there will be a child, there is something special about this child. He will be a great prophet, or he will be a great leader for Israel. Every time, the angelic messenger appears, God fulfills God’s promise. There is no more waiting. Now there is hope. Now there are possibilities. Now God is working in their lives and in the lives of generations to come.
So our story of Elizabeth and Zechariah follows the same pattern of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Rachel and Jacob. They are an older couple who had put aside the hope of ever having children. They are too old and Elizabeth is thought to be barren. There is no child. There will be no future generation for this family. There would be no future filled with possibilities.

Until surprise! A promise fulfilled. Until “Do not be afraid. You will bear a son.” Now there is hope. Now there is a future filled with possibilities. Nothing is impossible with God. Just look at what God has done for you.

God is continuously working and the angel Gabriel is just letting the people of faith know God’s plan. God is working through them to bring about something amazing and life-changing. The angel Gabriel is just giving the people a heads up so that they know what’s going on.

As one of the commentators said, “Consent is beside the point. The angel Gabriel is telling the people to align themselves with what is already happening by the grace of God.”

Prayers are answered. Promises fulfilled. Grace abounds. We just need to get on the bus and enjoy the ride. God is working through us to bring about God’s kingdom. God is showering God’s grace on the world.

Nothing is impossible as long as you have people supporting you and you have faith. Just look at what God has done for us.
A successful capital campaign. A new beginning in Children Worship and Wonder. A giving, loving, faithful congregation that is living out God’s word and sharing God’s grace with the surrounding community.

Prayers are answered. Promises fulfilled. Grace abounds.

Nothing is impossible when you have people supporting you and you have faith. Just look at what God has done for me.

May we listen for God’s plan for us, hop on board and enjoy the ride. Amen.

Rev. Heather McColl
Midway Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

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