Then Mary said, “……let it be to me according to your word”. Luke 1:38
It can be difficult to keep the wonder of the true meaning of our Christmas celebrations in mind at this busy time of year. We are too busy being amazed at how many gifts we still need to buy, how many things we still have to prepare, how many groceries still to be bought, and, often we are amazed at how much money we have spent! When seen in the light of God’s eternal plan for mankind, our busyness seems so trivial.
It is good then when God breaks through and gives us another revelation of His amazing goodness that we can focus on and be amazed at again. That happened to me a couple of weeks ago during my quiet time. I don’t even remember what I was reading now but suddenly it dawned on me again……….. God is amazing in all His ways! That now brings to mind a verse in Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” What pleases Him involves justice, mercy, favour, righteousness and equality. All that He does is good.
The thought that caught my attention was that God has always had in mind a plan for man and woman to be equal in his equation and in bringing about his purposes on the earth. In Genesis he called Abraham, a man in the closing years of his life, to take a huge step of faith; to leave his homeland and his family, to step out into the unknown, not knowing where he was going, just that God would show him. His job was to say ‘yes’ and to go in obedience, which he did. God then blessed him with offspring (Isaac), through whom the whole world would be blessed. It was from this line that Jesus Christ would come. God called a man – Abraham.
Many generations later God calls a woman - Mary - to be obedient. The angel of the Lord spoke to Mary, a young woman, to be the bearer of His Son, Jesus Christ who was to be the Saviour of the world. She too had to be willing to say ‘yes’ and to be obedient to the humiliation, the pain, all that being the mother of Jesus Christ would involve.
In these two people so many generations apart God showed me that he uses both man and woman to bring forth his purposes, he also uses the young and the old. So often in our world there can be the feeling that it is only those in the middle part of their life, between young and old, that God uses significantly. That is so not true. There is a place for each of us. Let us stir ourselves up to stand ready to be used for God’s purposes every day of our life. These two people didn’t know what was to come from their obedience. Neither do we know what God will do through our obedience. Let’s stand and be amazed again that God will use men and women, young, old and in between to accomplish his purposes on earth and let's be ready. Hallelujah!
Prayer: Wonderful God, thank you that to accomplish your purposes on earth you will use whoever is willing and obedient. Help me to stand ready and available for your purposes today and every day that you give me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
It can be difficult to keep the wonder of the true meaning of our Christmas celebrations in mind at this busy time of year. We are too busy being amazed at how many gifts we still need to buy, how many things we still have to prepare, how many groceries still to be bought, and, often we are amazed at how much money we have spent! When seen in the light of God’s eternal plan for mankind, our busyness seems so trivial.
It is good then when God breaks through and gives us another revelation of His amazing goodness that we can focus on and be amazed at again. That happened to me a couple of weeks ago during my quiet time. I don’t even remember what I was reading now but suddenly it dawned on me again……….. God is amazing in all His ways! That now brings to mind a verse in Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” What pleases Him involves justice, mercy, favour, righteousness and equality. All that He does is good.
The thought that caught my attention was that God has always had in mind a plan for man and woman to be equal in his equation and in bringing about his purposes on the earth. In Genesis he called Abraham, a man in the closing years of his life, to take a huge step of faith; to leave his homeland and his family, to step out into the unknown, not knowing where he was going, just that God would show him. His job was to say ‘yes’ and to go in obedience, which he did. God then blessed him with offspring (Isaac), through whom the whole world would be blessed. It was from this line that Jesus Christ would come. God called a man – Abraham.
Many generations later God calls a woman - Mary - to be obedient. The angel of the Lord spoke to Mary, a young woman, to be the bearer of His Son, Jesus Christ who was to be the Saviour of the world. She too had to be willing to say ‘yes’ and to be obedient to the humiliation, the pain, all that being the mother of Jesus Christ would involve.
In these two people so many generations apart God showed me that he uses both man and woman to bring forth his purposes, he also uses the young and the old. So often in our world there can be the feeling that it is only those in the middle part of their life, between young and old, that God uses significantly. That is so not true. There is a place for each of us. Let us stir ourselves up to stand ready to be used for God’s purposes every day of our life. These two people didn’t know what was to come from their obedience. Neither do we know what God will do through our obedience. Let’s stand and be amazed again that God will use men and women, young, old and in between to accomplish his purposes on earth and let's be ready. Hallelujah!
Prayer: Wonderful God, thank you that to accomplish your purposes on earth you will use whoever is willing and obedient. Help me to stand ready and available for your purposes today and every day that you give me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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