Is your life challenging? God wants us to know peace that passes understanding.
Enjoy everyday reminders with me, when God calls us to “Come, have a peace!”
Jeff and I meet with a small group of young married couples. We love them. Our two teenagers love having them in our home, and we're at the fun stage when several are starting to announce that they're pregnant. When they first share that they're expecting, it's so exciting and new. They've imagined it and hoped for it and prayed for it and dreamed about it. We're thrilled to share the journey of growing into parenthood with them.
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| visualbiblealive.com |
To make room for Jesus, she had to accept some losses. Since she was in a legally binding agreement to become Joseph's wife, only divorce could break the bond. Her plans and expectations, and those of her girlfriends and family members, dissolved in the sudden, hardly believable story that she would be visited by God Himself and implanted with a baby who would be great, God's Son who would reign eternally.
The angel Gabriel was so tender as he explained that the young Mary of Nazareth had found grace/favor with God and was chosen to bear the baby generations of women craved - the Messiah. (Read her story here.) As a virgin, the honor came with the heavy certainty of shame and disgrace and misunderstanding. But Mary believed Gabriel (Luke 1:45). To make room for Jesus Mary had to clear all of her own plans and preparations out of the way.
- She gave up her own plans for how her marriage and family would happen, and instead she accepted God's better plan. She valued God's plans over her own dreams.
- She gave us her preparations for what her engagement and wedding would look, trusting God to do what had never been done and make it best. She had the wisdom to go to Elizabeth as her godly mentor for support and guidance.
- She gave up her pride, trusting God to care for her as His servant. Her earthly reputation was exchanged for heavenly reasons.
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| visualbiblealive.com |
It was so much to ask a young girl to move in her own life and heart in order to make room, but she was making room for the Son of God, and she was glad to prepare the way for Him in her heart. She treasured all that happened and considered it carefully. It prepared her for the hard road ahead on the very pregnant road to Bethlehem, all the way to the base of the cross where she saw her Son make room for the world.
~ What are you dreaming about for your future? Are you willing to let go of your plans or preparations to make room for Jesus?
~ If you knew letting God steer your life would bring Him glory, would you feel more willing to let Him do things that are hardly believable, unusual, or even misunderstood?
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2 COMMENTS ~ Click here to leave a COMMENT:
Thank you for sharing this. It's something we often overlook when we think about the tremendous honor it was for God to choose her -- we don't always talk about the cost. I think about the hormones and the aches and pains and how invaluable my husband was for me during my pregnancies and I wonder if Mary's mom was supportive, or if she flew solo. Either way, it must have been so much for her.
I've wondered about Mary's mom, too. Elizabeth seems to have filled some of that need for her, and it must have been hard for Joseph to be physically rather disconnected, but wanting to comfort, help, and be close to Mary. So much more than I can comprehend ..
Julie Sanders
www.comehaveapeace.blogspot.com
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