Favor With God. . .
Continuing this morning to meditate upon the following verse:
Fear not Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. . . and then the angel goes on in a very few words to completely overturn Mary’s life. I know that I cannot in my bones understand the impact these words must have had upon Mary.
It must have rocked her on several different levels.
Judicially, it was the equivalent of the angel telling someone today, that they had committed a multiple premeditated murder. . . for being pregnant out of wedlock, was potentially a capital crime. . . an offence punishable by stoning.
Morally, her friends, her family. . . her mother, and her sisters would have every reason to think that she had fallen from sexual purity. The word would spread through her small community of Mary’s ‘problem’. Wags, and gossips would tell the tale with voices heavily flavored with skepticism, and doubt. Sure Mary. . . an angel told you that you are pregnant and carrying the Messiah in your womb conceived by the Holy Spirit. . . Sure Mary. . . wink. . . wink. . .
Physically, from one moment to the next. . .from virgin to pregnant with no warning. First hand I cannot comprehend this change, but second hand I have been witness to the transformation, and from the outside, it appears pregnancy is an adventure without equal or parallel in a man’s life.
Emotionally, we don’t know the exact moment of the conception, but almost from the moment of conception, a woman is emotionally changed in a normal pregnancy. Her body is changing. A hormonal hurricane is beginning to rage within her. How terribly difficult a position Mary was in. How desperately alone she must have felt. I cannot imagine.
Want to be used greatly of God? Be ready for your world to be turned upside down. Look at other examples of the Bible. . .David, Moses, Jonah, Paul, Peter, John, Luke. . . and on and on. To be greatly used by God, is not to continue to sit on your living room couch and watch the world pass you by. . . but it means to be taken into completely new and unfamiliar. . . uncomfortable. . . at times terrifying situations.
Oh that I might have the grace of Mary. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
When my world is completely turned over. . .
When all the tongues are wagging. . .
When my body and emotions are in upheaval. . .
When though I am innocent, men have apparent justification, and desire to stone me. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
I love you my God. . .
I love you my Lord. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
Luke 1:30-31
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. (31) And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Fear not Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. . . and then the angel goes on in a very few words to completely overturn Mary’s life. I know that I cannot in my bones understand the impact these words must have had upon Mary.
It must have rocked her on several different levels.
Judicially, it was the equivalent of the angel telling someone today, that they had committed a multiple premeditated murder. . . for being pregnant out of wedlock, was potentially a capital crime. . . an offence punishable by stoning.
Morally, her friends, her family. . . her mother, and her sisters would have every reason to think that she had fallen from sexual purity. The word would spread through her small community of Mary’s ‘problem’. Wags, and gossips would tell the tale with voices heavily flavored with skepticism, and doubt. Sure Mary. . . an angel told you that you are pregnant and carrying the Messiah in your womb conceived by the Holy Spirit. . . Sure Mary. . . wink. . . wink. . .
Physically, from one moment to the next. . .from virgin to pregnant with no warning. First hand I cannot comprehend this change, but second hand I have been witness to the transformation, and from the outside, it appears pregnancy is an adventure without equal or parallel in a man’s life.
Emotionally, we don’t know the exact moment of the conception, but almost from the moment of conception, a woman is emotionally changed in a normal pregnancy. Her body is changing. A hormonal hurricane is beginning to rage within her. How terribly difficult a position Mary was in. How desperately alone she must have felt. I cannot imagine.
Want to be used greatly of God? Be ready for your world to be turned upside down. Look at other examples of the Bible. . .David, Moses, Jonah, Paul, Peter, John, Luke. . . and on and on. To be greatly used by God, is not to continue to sit on your living room couch and watch the world pass you by. . . but it means to be taken into completely new and unfamiliar. . . uncomfortable. . . at times terrifying situations.
Luke 1:38
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Oh that I might have the grace of Mary. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
When my world is completely turned over. . .
When all the tongues are wagging. . .
When my body and emotions are in upheaval. . .
When though I am innocent, men have apparent justification, and desire to stone me. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
I love you my God. . .
I love you my Lord. . .
Be it unto me according to thy word. . .
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