Mary, Do You Know?

Mary, Do You Know?

“Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”   Luke 1:30

            I have often wondered about Mary and what she felt when the angel appeared to her and told her what was going to happen to her.  We don’t know their entire conversation, but she said to him, “Let it be according to your Word.” Luke 1:37.  Her complete surrender to God at that time has thrilled me each time I read it.

            “Mary, do you know what your futures holds for you?  What do you think Joseph will say; will he publically humiliate you and let you be stoned?”  She must have thought of these things, and yet she still willingly trusted God completely and fully. How many of us would respond as Mary did?

            I know there are times in my life that God told me to do certain things and in my heart I said no.  How many times have you said “no” to God and felt guilty later?  In the book of Acts, Paul was ministering to people in Caesarea when the Holy Spirit directed him to go to Jerusalem.  A man told him if he went he would be bound and given over to those against him.  “But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 21:13 (NLT).  To have that kind of faith has to be amazing.  It’s the kind of faith that says “Do what you will with me, Lord!”

I remember hearing a story when I first became a Christian, about giving everything to God.  This man had just given his heart to Jesus and he began praying, “What do you want me to do, Lord?”  God answered him and said, “I want you to give me your house.”

“I don’t know about that,” he replied, “Where would I put my family?”  Then said the Lord, “Give me your car.”  “I can’t do that, Lord, I would have no way to go to work and I must work to take care of my family.”  “Well, then give me your wife,” God asked.

“I can’t do that, Lord, “My children wouldn’t have a mother to take care of them and they need their mother.”  “I’ll tell you what I’ll do then, Lord, please just take me.”  “That is all I wanted in the first place,” said the Lord.  You see, that’s what God wants from each of us; to give him our whole self for whatever and wherever he wants to use us.

Mary (insert your name here), do you know how God wants to use you for his glory?  Are you willing to answer as Mary did, “Let it be according to your Word?”  If you really mean that, you should feel such a release in your spirit and a freedom in your soul.  This is what it means to be a follower of Jesus in this ungodly world. 

Mary must have felt this so strongly that she willingly lay down her life before the Lord.  Will you say this prayer?

“Dear Lord, Maybe I haven’t been willing before to give not only my heart to you, but to give you my entire life.  Use me in any way you want to and help me to be strong when I am weak.  I know, Lord that you have a plan for my life, whether I am young or old.  I am willing to go where you lead me and to say, as Mary did, “Let it be according to your Word.”   Amen!

Be blessed as we enter into this journey of the Christmas Season.