The assassination of US President John F. Kennedy stunned people around
the globe 53 years ago today. The day after the shooting, an article in The Times (London) spoke
of the reverberations being felt throughout world financial markets. It carried
the headline, “All Other Events Overshadowed by US Tragedy.”
There are times in our lives when a death, a tragedy, or a sudden turn
of events eclipses everything else. It happened to an unmarried young woman who
was told that she would become the mother of the promised Messiah, God’s Son
(Luke 1:26-33). When she asked how this could happen, the angel Gabriel said,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will
overshadow you” (v.35).
The impossibility in Mary’s life was overshadowed not by darkness but by
the brightness of God’s glory and power. Her response continues to leave us in
awe: “Let it be to me according to your word” (v.38).
In the coming weeks, as we read again the Christmas story and consider
the birth of Jesus into our world, it’s worth pondering the word overshadowed. It speaks so powerfully of the Lord’s presence in our hearts and His
ability to outshine the darkest moments.
In every situation, we are overshadowed by God’s mighty love and power. (RBC)
