Mary was a teenager. She thought she knew where her life was going. She was already on the right track by being engaged to a suitable man. Everything was respectable. And then …
Everything changed. Ever had those times when you thought your life was right on track … and then … everything changed?
Visited by an Angel!
Mary very likely had heard prophecies about a coming Messiah, but she did not realize she would be right in the middle of the fulfillment of those prophecies.
Mary was about to be asked to allow Jesus to grow inside of her and then be the Gateway through which He would be introduced to the world. God asks us to do the same!
The Greeting!
Let’s listen to what Mary was told by the angel who visited her. Understand his words are for you too.
As recorded in Luke’s Gospel, the angel said,
“Greetings, you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you!”
Are you highly favored? Is the Lord with you?
What Do You Want with Me, God?
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. Why would this greeting trouble her?
Could it be that if God found her to be highly favored, He might expect something more of her than having an ordinary pre-fab life? Is it possible God wants you to have more than an ordinary life? He wants you to have an extraordinary Life with Him!
The angel continued,
“Do not be afraid. You have found favor with God!”
Upon hearing the second time that we have found favor with God, why might we feel afraid? Because we doubt ourselves perhaps? Because we fear falling out of God’s Favor?
Rest easy. If God gives us an assignment, we can be sure He will give us all we need to do the job. That includes His Presence!
We remain in God’s Favor by remaining in God’s Presence,trusting Him, and doing what He tells us to do.
The Mission!
God did give Mary a big assignment. The angel did not explain everything to Mary nor did he ask her if she would like to accept the mission. He simply told Mary she was the gateway through which Jesus would enter the world. And then he testified about Jesus!
“You will conceive and give birth to a son,
and you are to call Him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give Him the Throne of His Father David,
and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever;
His Kingdom will never end!”
Do you agree with the angel’s proclamation? Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
Reality Check!
After we realize we are indeed favored by God and He really wants us, we may feel ready to follow Him to the ends of the earth and beyond. We may eagerly step up to receive everything we need for the mission.
Then comes the inevitable reality check. Satan is often the first one in line to dish out doubt, with a snarky laugh of “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
So while things sounded promising, Mary did have a question.
“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel,
“since I am a virgin?”
What’s your question about your assignment to let Jesus grow inside of you? Would your questions sound like this?
“How can this be, since I am a man?” Or perhaps, “How can this be, since I am old?” Or maybe, “How can this be, since Jesus has already come and gone?” You may think of hundreds of reasons why your assignment is just not possible!
Jesus The Word of God!
Stop for a moment and think beyond Jesus as a physical little baby. Think of Him as He was identified in John 1:1.
“In the beginning was The Word
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.”
Each of our physical cells carries the DNA given us by those before us. Each cell contains the map for the life we will live. The Word of God is the DNA of Jesus, waiting to become alive in us!
The Word of God is not just a collection of the letters of the alphabet. The Word of God is alive with a Power beyond anything you might imagine.
For The Word of God is alive and active!
Hebrews 4:12
God’s Personal Invitation to You!
God is speaking to you. He is honoring you with His Favor. He is asking you to receive His Word, which He wants to plant deep inside you. He is asking you to care for and nurture His Word and let it grow. He is asking you to look forward with Him to the day the world will see His Word revealed as Jesus!
If you are wondering how this will happen, the answer for you is the same as the one given to Mary and to the followers of Jesus after His Resurrection:
“The Holy Spirit will come on you,
and the Power of the Most High will overshadow you!
The Holy One to be born will be called The Son of God!”
How Exactly Will This Work?
There was no explanation of exactly how the Holy Spirit would come or how it would feel to have The Power of the Most High overshadowing Mary. Nor will there be any explanation for us. We are asked to simply trust the One Who will cover us and fill us with His Love.
Can you answer, as Mary did?
“I am the Lord’s servant. May Your Word to me be fulfilled!”
Points to Ponder
Is it possible that things “unplanned” by earth people are indeed planned by God?
How does it feel to be highly favored by God?
Are you open to the Holy Spirit coming on you and the Power of The Most High overshadowing you, whatever that might mean?
Are you ok with God knowing the Plans He has for you without His revealing every detail to you?
Do you believe Jesus is The Word of God and He is alive?
Is today the day you will realize you are pregnant with Jesus,The Word of God growing inside of you?
Because I live, you will also live.
On that day you will realize that I am in My Father,
and you are in Me, and
I am in you!”
John 14:19-20
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