Faith

Mary, An Ordinary Girl Through Whom God Did Extraordinary Things

1:00 PM



At the tender age of 12 or 13, as Jewish custom dictated, Mary was betrothed in marriage to a man named Joseph. I often imagine the excitement she felt preparing for the upcoming wedding and starting this new chapter of her young life. Yet all of her dreams and plans came to a screeching halt when Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel. “Greetings, favored one!”, said the angel.  “The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28) As Mary was wondering who this man was and what he wanted, the angel shared something even more shocking! “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him, Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31) 


Gabriel went on to tell Mary that this son Jesus, conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit, was actually the Son of God, and would sit on the throne of David, ruling forever! Imagine the thoughts, fear, and confusion swirling in Mary’s young mind! And yet even not fully comprehending the true depths of Gabriel’s message or what she would have to endure, Mary replied, “May it be done to me according to your word.” This young, innocent, girl, had a faith so strong, not only didn’t she hesitate to be used by God, she believed fully that God would provide all she needed to see His will done! And throughout her life and struggles, Mary relied on that faith to see her through. 


Oh how the momma’s heart in me sings with joy at the happiness Jesus brought to Mary’s life. The great love she felt holding Him in her arms, the excitement of watching Him grow, and the wonder of knowing He was her long awaited Messiah. And just as equally, my heart aches knowing that Mary witnessed the pain, betrayal, and sacrifice Jesus endured. And how torn her heart must have been as she watched her son nailed to the Cross. 


Bible scholars agree that Joseph had long since died before the death of Jesus. So near the end of her story, we find Mary widowed and grieving the loss of her child. Yet she is still willing to be used by God. For after the death of Jesus, it would have been custom for Mary to return home to be with her family; and the Bible tells us that Mary had other sons and daughters. ( Mark 6:3) Yet before He died, Jesus commanded Mary to go with the apostle John, and Mary followed. (John 19:26-27) It is widely believed that is there, in Jerusalem, where Mary stayed with the disciples working in the ministry up until her death.


Do you wish that you too could be used mightily by God, but wonder what He could ever do with someone like you? We need to remember that God didn’t choose Mary because she was the prettiest, smartest, or special in any way. He chose Mary because of her heart. 


Do you have the heart of Mary? The heart of Mary is open to receiving God’s calling. How is your prayer life? We can’t hear from God if the lines of communication aren’t open. The heart of Mary is ready to answer God’s calling. Are you ready, no matter the cost, to lay down your own plans to see God’s done? And finally, the heart of Mary is an obedient one. Will you follow where the God leads no matter where He takes you? 


The same words Gabriel spoke to that young Jewish girl he speaks to us as well. “Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30) As followers of Christ we too are favored by God. So with the heart of Mary, be brave, be faithful, and be open to His calling. And watch how God, through little old you, does awesome and amazing things! 





Gabriel

God Doesn’t Make Resolutions, He Makes Promises {Luke 1}

4:38 PM


Welcome to our study entitled, “Walking in Wisdom”. As we spend the year together in the New Testament, I pray that God will bless each of us with growth, wisdom, and understanding as we dig deep into His Word! 

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[ may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) 


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Monday Jan. 6 


 Can you believe it? Here we are fresh off the holidays and ready to begin 2020! Another year is upon us, and with it comes both renewed hope and a commitment to resolutions made. For me each new year brings the familiar pattern of good intentions and promises of doing and being better. But invariably, my faithfulness comes up lacking and my follow through becomes almost nonexistent. And even though I own my accountability, I try not to be too hard on myself; after all I’m a work in progress. So I forgive my failures, never give up trying, and remember that although I might not always be faithful in fulfilling my own promises, I know who I can always count on to fulfill His; and that’s God. For as I am reminded by the Apostle Paul, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13)

That’s why I’m happy we are beginning our study in the book of Luke. Because more than just the beautiful Christmas Gospel of our Savior’s birth, Luke also contains promises made by God. And here in chapter 1 we learn of the awesome ones He makes to Mary, the Jewish girl chosen by the Lord. Living in Galilee and engaged to a man named Joseph, Mary is visited by the Angel Gabriel. After greeting her as, “favored one”, Gabriel lists seven promises God has in store for her and the baby she would be carrying. 1. She will conceive and bear a son. 2. He shall be named Jesus. 3. He will be great. 4. He will be called the Son of the Most High. 5. God will give to Him the throne of David. 6. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. 7. His kingdom will have no end. (vs. 31-33) 

I often imagine how Mary must have felt hearing the glorious news. Was she scared, excited, overwhelmed? Did she laugh, cry, or stand frozen in shock? Of the many emotions Mary must have felt, the Bible is clear that the one she didn’t feel was disbelief. For after asking how this miracle would come to be and hearing, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child will be called the Son of God.” (vs. 35), She simply replied, “may it be done to me according to your word.” (vs. 38) The example of strength and faith in God shown by Mary, a young girl of probably between 13 and 16 years of age, is something to behold and an inspiration to us all. 

So how did Mary find such unshakable faith? First, she believed God would keep His promises. Mary knew the history of the Jewish people and how, “Not one of the good promises which God made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (Josh. 21:45) Second, she trusted God’s ability to make His will come to fruition. For not only did Gabriel say, “Nothing will be impossible with God” (vs. 37), God Himself also declares, “Behold, I will do something new, I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Is. 43:19) Finally, she walked in surrendered obedience to God. Just as we are told in 2 Cor. 9:8,  Mary knew the Lord would provide whatever He required. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” 

Each January 1st carries with it the excitement of a clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning. It marks the start of the year ahead filled with the certainty of love and loss, triumph and tragedy, joy and sorrow. Yet no matter what 2020 may hold, whatever change this new decade ushers in, we can rest assured that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8). So make resolutions. Commit to growth. Set new goals. Above all else, trust in the promises of God. In her lifetime Mary saw four of God’s promises fulfilled, and soon she will see the final three as well. And just as He did for Mary, God will fulfill each of His promises to us, so that like Elizabeth we too will cry, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” (vs. 45)