Mary

Peyton Johnston

December 14th, 2017

Luke​ ​1:26-38

Mary​ ​was​ ​the​ ​one​ ​God​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​bear​ ​the​ ​Savior​ ​of​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​world.​ ​Her​ ​act​ ​of​ ​submission​ ​to​ ​the Lord’s​ ​plan​ ​would​ ​be​ ​the​ ​catalyst​ ​of​ ​hope​ ​and​ ​salvation​ ​for​ ​all​ ​of​ ​mankind.​ ​And​ ​while​ ​she​ ​must have​ ​realized​ ​the​ ​great​ ​honor​ ​bestowed​ ​on​ ​her​ ​when​ ​the​ ​angel​ ​appeared​ ​to​ ​her​ ​with​ ​news​ ​of her​ ​divine​ ​mission,​ ​she​ ​was​ ​also​ ​probably​ ​overcome​ ​with​ ​fear​ ​thinking​ ​of​ ​the​ ​events​ ​that​ ​would likely​ ​take​ ​place.

You​ ​see,​ ​Mary​ ​was​ ​a​ ​young,​ ​unmarried​ ​girl​ ​who​ ​was​ ​about​ ​to​ ​be​ ​very​ ​obviously​ ​with​ ​child…​ ​A recipe​ ​for​ ​disaster.​ ​In​ ​those​ ​days,​ ​unless​ ​the​ ​father​ ​of​ ​the​ ​child​ ​(someone​ ​who​ ​was​ ​nonexistent in​ ​this​ ​situation)​ ​agreed​ ​to​ ​marry​ ​her,​ ​she​ ​would​ ​probably​ ​remain​ ​unmarried​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​her life​ ​-​ ​which​ ​was​ ​shameful​ ​to​ ​both​ ​the​ ​girl​ ​and​ ​her​ ​entire​ ​family.​ ​Then,​ ​if​ ​her​ ​own​ ​father​ ​rejected her,​ ​she​ ​could​ ​be​ ​forced​ ​into​ ​begging​ ​or​ ​prostitution​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​earn​ ​a​ ​living​ ​just​ ​to​ ​survive.​ ​And Mary’s​ ​story​ ​of​ ​becoming​ ​pregnant​ ​by​ ​way​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Holy​ ​Spirit​ ​was,​ ​let’s​ ​face​ ​it,​ ​grounds​ ​for​ ​people to​ ​assume​ ​she​ ​had​ ​gone​ ​a​ ​little​ ​crazy.​ ​She​ ​knew​ ​she​ ​would​ ​be​ ​shunned​ ​and​ ​ridiculed​ ​by​ ​those she​ ​had​ ​once​ ​called​ ​her​ ​friends,​ ​bring​ ​disappointment​ ​to​ ​her​ ​loved​ ​ones,​ ​and​ ​face​ ​a​ ​lifetime alone​ ​though​ ​she​ ​had​ ​done​ ​nothing​ ​wrong.

Still​ ​Mary​ ​said,​ ​“​I​ ​am​ ​the​ ​Lord’s​ ​servant.​ ​Be​ ​it​ ​unto​ ​me,​ ​according​ ​to​ ​Your​ ​Word.​”​ ​When​ ​Mary said​ ​that,​ ​she​ ​didn’t​ ​know​ ​about​ ​the​ ​tremendous​ ​opportunity​ ​that​ ​was​ ​unfolding,​ ​but​ ​she​ ​knew​ ​all the​ ​risks.​ ​She​ ​had​ ​no​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​the​ ​recognition​ ​and​ ​admiration​ ​she​ ​would​ ​receive​ ​by​ ​millions​ ​for generations​ ​to​ ​come,​ ​but​ ​she​ ​did​ ​know​ ​the​ ​looming​ ​dangers​ ​she​ ​would​ ​surely​ ​face.​ ​But​ ​all​ ​she cared​ ​about​ ​was​ ​that​ ​God​ ​was​ ​asking​ ​her​ ​to​ ​serve​ ​Him,​ ​and​ ​she​ ​willingly​ ​obeyed​ ​with​ ​all​ ​that she​ ​had.

Mary’s​ ​humble​ ​and​ ​submissive​ ​spirit​ ​teaches​ ​that​ ​it’s​ ​important​ ​to​ ​offer​ ​your​ ​life​ ​to​ ​God​ ​without asking​ ​to​ ​see​ ​the​ ​bottom​ ​line.​ ​When​ ​He​ ​sends​ ​a​ ​request​ ​that​ ​leads​ ​to​ ​a​ ​seemingly​ ​bleak situation,​ ​we​ ​should​ ​trust​ ​that​ ​every​ ​act​ ​of​ ​obedience​ ​will​ ​be​ ​covered​ ​with​ ​peace​ ​and​ ​blessings in​ ​return.​ ​And​ ​even​ ​if​ ​they’re​ ​not,​ ​He​ ​is​ ​still​ ​worthy​ ​of​ ​any​ ​and​ ​every​ ​sacrifice​ ​we​ ​can​ ​give.

Mary’s​ ​courage​ ​shows​ ​that​ ​it​ ​is​ ​possible​ ​to​ ​serve​ ​the​ ​Lord​ ​even​ ​when​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​inadequate. Regardless​ ​of​ ​what​ ​others​ ​thought,​ ​God​ ​had​ ​chosen​ ​Mary.​ ​You​ ​may​ ​think​ ​that​ ​your​ ​life​ ​holds​ ​a marred​ ​reputation​ ​in​ ​some​ ​way​ ​that​ ​makes​ ​you​ ​an​ ​unusable​ ​candidate​ ​for​ ​God’s​ ​service.​ ​But you​ ​shouldn’t​ ​limit​ ​God​ ​by​ ​putting​ ​His​ ​capabilities​ ​in​ ​a​ ​box.​ ​He​ ​has​ ​never​ ​chosen​ ​someone based​ ​on​ ​their​ ​own​ ​merit​ ​or​ ​skill​ ​-​ ​He​ ​chooses​ ​those​ ​who​ ​are​ ​willing​ ​to​ ​surrender​ ​their​ ​lives​ ​to Him​ ​so​ ​that​ ​He​ ​can​ ​show​ ​His​ ​power​ ​in​ ​a​ ​most​ ​glorious​ ​way.

Pray:​ ​​“Lord,​ ​no​ ​matter​ ​where​ ​You​ ​lead​ ​me​ ​or​ ​what​ ​You​ ​require​ ​of​ ​me,​ ​I​ ​will​ ​have​ ​a​ ​willingly​ ​heart to​ ​follow​ ​you.​ ​I​ ​ask​ ​that​ ​as​ ​I​ ​seek​ ​to​ ​obey​ ​Your​ ​call,​ ​You​ ​would​ ​help​ ​me​ ​to​ ​depend​ ​not​ ​on​ ​my own​ ​strength,​ ​but​ ​on​ ​Your​ ​unfailing​ ​strength​ ​to​ ​fulfill​ ​Your​ ​mission​ ​for​ ​my​ ​life.”