Hi! For day two of our Christmas series we'll be looking at Mary. The life of this young woman is full of rich lessons for us women today. As most of you probably know, Mary was around our age. Scholars say she was probably in her later teens when she was chosen by God for this task. When I understood Mary was near my age, suddenly it becaome so much easier to relate to her. How would I feel in that situation? You have just been told by an angel of God that you will bear His child. I would be first hit by the honor of that choice. Then I would be humbled that God had looked beyond my failings and still chose me. I'm afraid, however, that soon I would be overwhelmed by my task. I would be so tempted to cry out God...asking Him to please choose someone else. I would ask Him how he expected me to deal with the social pressures... Obviously there were people in Mary's life who thought the worst of her...thinking she made up this specatcular story about an angel and the messiah to cover up her own sin. She was probably hated...Rejected...looked down upon by everyone. I'm sure doubts and fears arose in her mind, yet she chose only to respond, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said."
Like Mary, we have been given tasks from the Lord. No, none of us will ever be asked to bear the Son of God, but we have tasks just the same. I would go so far as to say that the tasks given by God to each one of us is equally important as Mary's task was. Some have been given a larger, more daunting task then others, but they are of equal importance on the kingdom of heaven.
However, our attitude towards God greatly affects how well he can use us. Like Mary, our response must be I am your servant. We must acknowledge that God is our master...The one that knows far more than we do. Our tasks may vary...God may call one to be a minister, another to be a janitor, still another to be a teacher, a singer, a wife... All equally important yet he calls us to do the task he has given us with diligence. He may also call us to undergo certian trials or suffering. Yet even in this we need to have submissive hearts...Hearts that accept His Lordship over us. May it be to me as you have said...
Remember that Mary's story should extend beyond the Christmas season. She should be remembered despite the season or time of year. What has God called you to do? Maybe he's called you to suffer...or lead many to his name. Whatever it is, seemingly big or small, I pray that you can respond with the same willingness as Mary. In the Magnificat Mary rejoices that God has chosen her for such a task. You also, rejoice for whatever God has chosen you to do for his name. It may seem too hard, but remember, with God, all things are possible!
The Mighty One has done great things for us.
Bug
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
It would be awfully hard to deal with rejection over a sin that you had never commited, and more so over something so special as being chosen by God to bear his Son. But I think the harder part would have been raising Jesus. Must people think it would have been so easy, He never sinned. But think of the fact that he was born to sinful parents. He was thousands of times holier than them. I think that would be hard, you would be sinning and then loking or thinking of your son and feeling terrible that he is younger and yet doesn't sin much not even at all. Must parents have children they can look at and see their own sins in, and sure you don't want your children to sin. But the human wordly side of us wouldn't want our child to being showing us up. Maybe Jesus' parnets never felt like that, but I think that they had at least similar feelings.
ya, good point!
GREAT THOUGHTS, bug!!!
What a great post Bug! That was kickin'! I am always inspired by the amazing example Mary set! She was such a faithful girl! I am continually amazed at how the Bible says she "found favor in the eyes of the Lord." How cool is THAT?! I always wonder what kind of a girl Mary was?! Obviously a godly, humble, gentle, loving young woman who God would chose to carry the Holy Messiah!
Aspiring to be like Mary,
Byrde
Post a Comment