Mary, A Surrendered Heart
It seems these days the Lord is challenging me to really step out of familiar places into the unknown. Without the knowledge of what is on the other side, He is asking me to TRUST Him.
It has taken me back to times in my life of fresh surrender. Times when I've come back to Him with a bleeding heart, because of my own mistakes. Times when I've come to the end of me and my knowledge. And times when I must trust that He knows what is best for me, even when I don't understand.
As the Christmas season is getting closer, my thoughts have turned to thinking about Mary and what it truly must have been like for her when the angel told her she would be the mother of the Messiah. At this time in Jewish history, a girl who became pregnant out of marriage should have been terrified. She could be forced to leave her family, friends and community... sold into slavery and dealt with unjustly or even stoned to death.
Mary had been betrothed to Joseph. She was probably a young teenager about 14. The family had made plans and life seemed to be unfolding before her. Mary had watched other young girls get married and her moment was approaching. But with Gabriel's announcement, everything changed. Mary's world was interrupted. This event was not on her radar.
Mary had some questions. How would this work since she had never been with a man? I'm sure her mind and emotions were reeling. But the bottom line in that she believed what was spoken over her. This young girl's world was turned upside down and she responded with a song. Mary says...my soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior...Mary chooses at this moment to make God bigger than any doubts, questions or fear about what she has been told. She chooses to trust that because she knows He loves her, His plan is good, regardless of what she knows or understands.
We have the same choice as Mary. With confidence I can say that none of us will be giving birth to the Messiah. But God still has a task for us. Something, that without our surrender, may be left undone. What has God said to you? My question to you is this...Do you believe? Luke 1:37 tells us that "with God nothing will be impossible and no Word from God is without power of fulfillment."
Surrender starts with a willingness to put no limits on what God can do in our lives.
We cannot dictate to Him what we will or will not allow. Surrender means to give up, to completely yield to the Power of another. It's not difficult to surrender if you KNOW that what God is asking you to do is because of His great love for you. He is not out to harm us or hurt us. His plan is for good.
I love my calendar and I love my lists. It helps me stay organized and simply feel better because there is order. One thing about planners is that they are not often happy with surprises. Excuse me, that was not on my list for today. We are thrown off in a big way when this happens.
When we allow God to interrupt our plans, something Divine happens. We yield ourselves as vessels, and magnify Him as Mary did...we step out of the Kingdom of Me and we once again give Him the keys to do as He pleases.
When Mary said yes to God's plan she did not know how the rest of her life would unfold. She didn't know that her son would die on a cross. She didn't know the pain she would endure as the mother of the Messiah. But she trusted in God's plan. Elizabeth said to Mary in Luke 1:45 "Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord."
Years ago I was running from God. I knew about Him as I had grown up in the church. But I was not in a place where I wanted to surrender fully. I wanted to do what I wanted to do. I didn't want to listen to my parents. I wanted to have fun. For the most part, I was happy in my rebellion. But at night, when I was without my friends, there was a nagging in my heart that there was more to life. God would not let me go...
The beginning of this surrender is trusting in Jesus. It's trusting that He does have a plan for you and voluntarily placing the keys to your life in His hands. We are not giving the keys of our life over to a jailer or a torturer when we surrender...we are placing those keys into the hands of a loving Father. So many of us have had to live life strong...strong because we have not had that earthly person to look after us. We have learned to live life independent and capable. How can I convey to you the relief that comes when we gives those keys and that responsibility over to someone else? Someone who knows the beginning of your life to the end of your life. Someone who lovingly formed you with purpose. This is the first step of surrender...realizing that Jesus came for you, died for you and wants relationship with you.
When we get the revelation that it is a God of love that is calling us, we can more easily trust Him. Fenelon says this, " God is not a spy looking to surprise you. He is not an enemy lurking in the shadows to hurt you. God is your Father who loves you and wants to help you if you will but trust in His goodness."
You see God has more in mind that we can see, because, well, He's God and we're not.
Mary didn't know, I'm sure....to answer the question of the song we so often sing at Christmas, but she trusted in God. Will you?
It has taken me back to times in my life of fresh surrender. Times when I've come back to Him with a bleeding heart, because of my own mistakes. Times when I've come to the end of me and my knowledge. And times when I must trust that He knows what is best for me, even when I don't understand.
As the Christmas season is getting closer, my thoughts have turned to thinking about Mary and what it truly must have been like for her when the angel told her she would be the mother of the Messiah. At this time in Jewish history, a girl who became pregnant out of marriage should have been terrified. She could be forced to leave her family, friends and community... sold into slavery and dealt with unjustly or even stoned to death.
Mary had been betrothed to Joseph. She was probably a young teenager about 14. The family had made plans and life seemed to be unfolding before her. Mary had watched other young girls get married and her moment was approaching. But with Gabriel's announcement, everything changed. Mary's world was interrupted. This event was not on her radar.
Mary had some questions. How would this work since she had never been with a man? I'm sure her mind and emotions were reeling. But the bottom line in that she believed what was spoken over her. This young girl's world was turned upside down and she responded with a song. Mary says...my soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior...Mary chooses at this moment to make God bigger than any doubts, questions or fear about what she has been told. She chooses to trust that because she knows He loves her, His plan is good, regardless of what she knows or understands.
We have the same choice as Mary. With confidence I can say that none of us will be giving birth to the Messiah. But God still has a task for us. Something, that without our surrender, may be left undone. What has God said to you? My question to you is this...Do you believe? Luke 1:37 tells us that "with God nothing will be impossible and no Word from God is without power of fulfillment."
Surrender starts with a willingness to put no limits on what God can do in our lives.
We cannot dictate to Him what we will or will not allow. Surrender means to give up, to completely yield to the Power of another. It's not difficult to surrender if you KNOW that what God is asking you to do is because of His great love for you. He is not out to harm us or hurt us. His plan is for good.
I love my calendar and I love my lists. It helps me stay organized and simply feel better because there is order. One thing about planners is that they are not often happy with surprises. Excuse me, that was not on my list for today. We are thrown off in a big way when this happens.
When we allow God to interrupt our plans, something Divine happens. We yield ourselves as vessels, and magnify Him as Mary did...we step out of the Kingdom of Me and we once again give Him the keys to do as He pleases.
When Mary said yes to God's plan she did not know how the rest of her life would unfold. She didn't know that her son would die on a cross. She didn't know the pain she would endure as the mother of the Messiah. But she trusted in God's plan. Elizabeth said to Mary in Luke 1:45 "Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord."
Years ago I was running from God. I knew about Him as I had grown up in the church. But I was not in a place where I wanted to surrender fully. I wanted to do what I wanted to do. I didn't want to listen to my parents. I wanted to have fun. For the most part, I was happy in my rebellion. But at night, when I was without my friends, there was a nagging in my heart that there was more to life. God would not let me go...
The beginning of this surrender is trusting in Jesus. It's trusting that He does have a plan for you and voluntarily placing the keys to your life in His hands. We are not giving the keys of our life over to a jailer or a torturer when we surrender...we are placing those keys into the hands of a loving Father. So many of us have had to live life strong...strong because we have not had that earthly person to look after us. We have learned to live life independent and capable. How can I convey to you the relief that comes when we gives those keys and that responsibility over to someone else? Someone who knows the beginning of your life to the end of your life. Someone who lovingly formed you with purpose. This is the first step of surrender...realizing that Jesus came for you, died for you and wants relationship with you.
When we get the revelation that it is a God of love that is calling us, we can more easily trust Him. Fenelon says this, " God is not a spy looking to surprise you. He is not an enemy lurking in the shadows to hurt you. God is your Father who loves you and wants to help you if you will but trust in His goodness."
You see God has more in mind that we can see, because, well, He's God and we're not.
Mary didn't know, I'm sure....to answer the question of the song we so often sing at Christmas, but she trusted in God. Will you?
posted by Yanna @ 2:27 PM
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