Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you![a]”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel[b] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.[c]”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
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Mary wasn't the most important person in her town. She was a poor girl who people probably 'knew', but didn't take the time to know. But God knew her and knew that she was the perfect person to raise his Son.
The risks to Mary were very real. If Joseph had decided to not marry her, she could have remained unmarried all of her life. If her father turned her away, she would have had to beg or sell herself for money. And if she told the truth about her son being God's son, she'd be labled a crazy person as well.
Even knowing all the risks to being an unwed mother in those days, Mary still told the angel she was God's servant and wanted everything the angel told her to come true.
How many of us would do the same thing today?
Our song today is "Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant.
Linked with: Women Living Well Wednesday and Winsome Wednesday
The sermon this past Sunday, was about Mary, and how things could have been much different for her had God not had another plan for her. God used His angels to let Joseph know that this situation was just as Mary said and he chose to be Jesus' earthly Father. She was God's CHOSEN ONE to be Jesus' Mother....what an honor, what a privilege!! In comparison to our lives we may not feel as important as Mary, but He has a plan for our lives too. We must be like Mary, obedient, focusing on HIM. We are chosen as well, no, not to be the Savior's Mother, but to share the Savior with the world!! Whatever He puts in our path to do for Him we should be just as willing as Mary to obey! Thank you for sharing your heart in your posts! Have a Merry CHRISTmas!!
ReplyDeleteYou said it so well. I know how hard it is to leave your child with someone for a few hours... God had to leave his son with someone for 33 years. That is a gift he didn't take lightly. It's not like he chose Mary because she was the lesser of the evils. She was a wonderful person and the woman God wanted to raise his son. And she could have said no, but she didn't. I'm glad she didn't.
ReplyDeleteAmen
ReplyDelete