Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, is especially celebrated this time of year. And why shouldn't she be? We set time aside here in December to rejoice over the birth of our Savior. Mary had the privilege and thrill of birthing and caring for The One who would save humanity from its sin.
That's the obvious reason she matters. For that alone, Mary deserves our respect. The mother of our Lord is more than worthy of honor from you and me.
But, Mary is also a big deal for other reasons. Her actions teach us some lessons. Let's reflect on her for just a moment...
Mary is proof that we have a powerful God, who can do anything. She was a virgin. There had been no physical union between her and Joseph, who was soon to be her husband. Yet God miraculously enabled her to carry a child in her womb. Science can't explain it, but God indeed caused this to happen.
If God can do a miracle in Mary's life, isn't it safe to conclude that He can also do extraordinary things in our lives? I do believe so! God can heal diseases, free addicts, meet needs, change lives, repair relationships, forgive sins, and save souls. All things are possible with our God.
Mary is a reminder that serving God, regardless of the cost, is always worth it in the end. This would not be easy for Mary. Surely there would be people who would look down on her and gossip about her being pregnant before her wedding day. Some people were (and still are) cruel about things like that. She had to have known that there would be folks who didn't understand this miracle that was happening inside of her. A difficult road awaited this young lady, who was most likely 12 or 13 years of age. But Mary agreed to be a servant of God with an obedient heart. Her attitude was good, her mind was set, and her life would never be the same. And because of this, she will always be celebrated as a special person of high worth.
God called Mary to be the mother of Jesus Christ. What is He calling you to do? Maybe it's going on a short-term mission trip, working to repair your broken marriage, witnessing to an unsaved person, writing a book, or going to minister in a local nursing home. Whatever it is, Mary's choice is a valuable reminder to just do it! Get on board with what God wants in your life. Say "Yes!" to His calling. And when you do, I can promise it will be worth the sacrifices you make. God will bless you for it. There are very few greater thrills than carrying out God's purposes for our lives.
Mary was special. She made the most of her life. And she set an example for all of us.
Let's have faith and believe in our all-powerful God.
Let's faithfully serve our God, who has been so good to us.
Let's live a life that counts.
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