The Faith of Mary

Day 5

Luke 1:30-31

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

Luke 1:30-31
Can you imagine what it would be like to receive this message?

First of all, the message is being delivered by an angel… AN ANGEL! The angel tells you that you will give birth to a son (but you’re a teenage virgin). But the most shocking part is that your son will be the Son of God, the coming Messiah, the Savior of the world. Your son is the Savior that you have heard about all your life. Yeah, no pressure there….

Imagine what Mary must have been feeling. I’m sure she was confused, overwhelmed, even awestruck. Me? God chose me to bring the Savior into this world?

I can totally relate to Mary on this level. Many times, I don’t feel up to the challenges that God has set before me. I feel that surely there is someone more qualified, more ‘able’, more up to the task. But something that I have learned from Mary is that sometimes God takes the incapable, unqualified, unlikely, fearful people and uses them. He uses us despite our failings, in spite of our inadequacies, and in spite of our fear.

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.  
Luke 1:38

The faith of Mary… She completely trusted and believed! She had faith that what the angel had told her would happen. It is my desire to have faith like Mary. To be available for God to use every little piece of me for His glory.

46 And Mary said:
    “My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
    From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”
Luke 1:46-55

It’s difficult for me to imagine the challenges that Mary was facing. She was about to give birth to the Savior of the world in a stable. I was blessed to deliver my daughters in a medical facility with all the modern conveniences. But still, I was afraid….what if something goes wrong, what if….

And it is in these moments that we lean on the Father. We look to God to take the impossible and make it possible. To use the unlikely and make them perfect for the task. Just think about all the times that God took impossibilities and made them reality. Raising Lazarus from the dead, healing the blind, making the lame walk, walking on water…. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. With God all things are possible.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things
are possible.”
Matthew 19:26

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas season remember the faith of Mary. Be encouraged that even when we feel completely inadequate that God has us firmly in the palm of His mighty hand.

45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Luke 1:45
Jackie Holmes | Children's Minister

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