Looking at the Christmas story, it's impossible not to notice the faith of all those involved. Wise men travel across the known world, shepherds leave their job, all on the inkling they are chasing something great. Of all characters scripture tells us were involved with the story, Mary is perhaps the most profound. Showing up in the beginning of Luke's gospel, this young virgin is given a bold proclamation that she is pregnant, and not just with any child, but one who will be the savior of the world. How does Mary respond to this statement? Luke tells us she fully believed everything the Lord had told her. (Luke 1:45)
Did you get that? Mary didn't believe half way, she didn't "kind of" think the angel was right, she put full faith into God's word and was called blessed. I can only imagine the conversations Mary had with neighbors. Telling people she was pregnant or how great her child was going to be must have taken some nerve. What if the baby didn't come or was not as incredible as foretold? Mary would be a laughing stock for the rest of her life. Yet Mary chose to believe God, even though she probably felt foolish in the sight of man.
We have considered how we remember and tell the story, but perhaps the greatest call on our lives is to write a story as time moves forward. Mary wrote her story with boldness and faith. She wrote it believing promises God told her, no matter how foolish they seemed, and she was called blessed for her belief. When considering the future, fear is a common emotion humans experience. Fear of the unknown, fear of our finances, if our children will turn out how we want, wondering if that significant other will ever come.
In spite of the default human emotions, as we turn the corner towards a new year we would do well to look at the future not with fear but with faith. That begins with hearing God's voice, but it continues with a heart of asking God for bold things and believing His word.
Faith. Boldness. Confidence from the Lord. These are the virtues that marked the characters of the Christmas story, and they should be our own as we continue to write the story.
Did you get that? Mary didn't believe half way, she didn't "kind of" think the angel was right, she put full faith into God's word and was called blessed. I can only imagine the conversations Mary had with neighbors. Telling people she was pregnant or how great her child was going to be must have taken some nerve. What if the baby didn't come or was not as incredible as foretold? Mary would be a laughing stock for the rest of her life. Yet Mary chose to believe God, even though she probably felt foolish in the sight of man.
We have considered how we remember and tell the story, but perhaps the greatest call on our lives is to write a story as time moves forward. Mary wrote her story with boldness and faith. She wrote it believing promises God told her, no matter how foolish they seemed, and she was called blessed for her belief. When considering the future, fear is a common emotion humans experience. Fear of the unknown, fear of our finances, if our children will turn out how we want, wondering if that significant other will ever come.
In spite of the default human emotions, as we turn the corner towards a new year we would do well to look at the future not with fear but with faith. That begins with hearing God's voice, but it continues with a heart of asking God for bold things and believing His word.
Faith. Boldness. Confidence from the Lord. These are the virtues that marked the characters of the Christmas story, and they should be our own as we continue to write the story.
0 comments:
Post a Comment