Divine Imbalance!

Scripture:  Luke 1: 36-38 - And behold [Mary], thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.  For with God nothing shall be impossible.  And Mary said, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word'.  And the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:41-42 - And it came to pass that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, 'Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.'"
Whether it is the excitement and praise of Joseph, Mary, Zacharias, and Elisabeth, or that of the shepherds in the field, one thing which stands as common, is that fear, troubling, marveling, and awe approaching distress occurred first.  The divine shake-up preceded the divine wow.  However, the angel Gabriel appeared, he was not a calming influence!
This observation actually lends favorably to this gospel report in that real people would really respond like this, with hesitation, with doubt, and with fright.  The 'Fear not  of the angel Gabriel was very reasonable to give to these upset folk.

What can we then say about this divine imbalance?

Scripture would support that when all that is naturally familiar, commonplace, and normal makes for our personal [or collective] sense of balance, then the divine intrusion will shake us up... but, beyond that initial stirring, we are primed for the revelation to come.  Divine imbalance then prompts our transformation toward a higher praise, and a truer worship!  Even John, not yet the Baptiser, caught this, while still in the womb!  Two or more gathered together, ecstatic over God --  sounds like church to me!  And this joy could not be contained, spilling out upon all those nearby and nearing, Jesus central to it all.

It is reassuring also, to note that our embracing of the divine touch is not our own work, but that of the Holy Ghost [v.41]; we just have to be of the mind to receive, knowing that His faithfulness is building our reception for all that is brought. God is doing the work of making larger the capacity of our soul-tent, and we are invited to offer our 'yes' along the way, as a display of faith.  Hallelujah!

When the divine imbalance hits, then the dark is overcome by light, the immeasurably far is brought near, the inglorious becomes glorious, the lost become found, and that which is dead, literally or figuratively, is raised to life.

When the divine imbalance hits, the earthy becomes heavenly.  What good news!

Prayer:  Distress upon me, wilt thou bless? [My soul made troubled for my best], that slumber brought through sweeter days, will change with my awakening praise.  Bring Thou with burdens such a shine, that all my ways agree with Thine, to bring such pleasing to Thy face, with me begun, brought unto grace.  How then might mercy maketh hurt, provoking gold within my dirt, that mine own merits fade away, to put me right for glorious day.  Persuasion make surrender real, confession raise the way I feel, and wash away with truth my fear:  the 'hope of glory' making dear.  'Christ in you, the hope of glory'.

(by Dr. McNeal Brockington)