Christmas Character Series
Luke 1:26-38; 46-55
(Use the link below to read the verses.)
God
has a habit of using ordinary people to do extraordinary things!
Consider
Moses, who wasn’t good at talking, but led the nation of Israel out of Egypt. Or
David, who was a young, shepherd boy, but became the king of Israel which
eventually led to his Messianic lineage.
A
classic example of this was Mary; a teenage girl, living a hard scrabble life, who
got pregnant by someone other than her betrothed, only to give birth to, and
raise, the son of God.
But
if you think about it, God could have chosen anybody that He wanted as the
Mother of Jesus. It was His choice to set the criteria for her. If God had only
used ZipRecruiter to find the best qualified mother then his ad might have
appeared something like this:
Looking for a young, mature female with parental
experience, either as a current mother or possibly a nanny or au pair. Needs to
be able to deal with high stress, emotionally painful and complex situations.
Must have the financial means to provide, not only for the child’s material
needs, but also for his emotional, educational and missional needs. Should have
a spouse who can provide the stability and security of a nuclear family that is
necessary for a child to thrive.
Instead,
God called Mary who was so insecure; so unstable; that God had to send an angel
to build her up; to reinforce her; to give her the confidence that she was
capable of actually doing the job.
28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly
favored! The Lord is with you.” NIV
To
Mary’s credit, she asked only one question. Following this, she was ready to
commit to the job. She was ready to follow God’s calling; to be His servant no
matter what it would mean.
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me
be fulfilled.” NIV
Are
you able to give such an unconditional commitment to follow Jesus? Mary has set
the bar high. She has set a great example for us to follow. Despite the fact
that, in many ways, Mary was unqualified for the job, she plowed ahead by
faith.
When
God calls you to what seems to be an insurmountable, unachievable task –
remember how Mary responded. And then, like Mary, take the first step; say yes.
(Here’s
a link for the song “A Baby Changes Everything” by Faith Hill. I hope you enjoy
it.)
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