The Christmas Witnesses- MARY
The Christmas Witnesses
by
Bryan Craig
FRIDAY- Mary
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"The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.' Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.' 'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.' 'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.'" Luke 1:28-38 NIV
Mary
In one of the most amazing demonstrations of faith ever exhibited, Mary became a conduit to bring the Savior of the world into existence. She called herself, "the Lord's servant," and she was willing to trust him even when His proposition seemed troubling. I'm sure she must have been worried about how Joseph would take this news. She knew he would assume the worst. I mean, how could he believe that her pregnancy came from God?
But she was faithful, and God took care of the rest. He visited Joseph in a dream and helped him understand. He guided the young couple on a journey to Bethlehem where the birth would take place in the most humble of circumstances. I imagine Mary had a few misgivings along the way, especially when she was forced to have the baby in a barn, but she knew, without a doubt, that this baby was miraculously conceived. She knew this baby was someone very special. When the baby was born, the labor pains were over, and the shepherds had visited, I love what it says about Mary:
"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Luke 2:19 NIV
Maybe you are like Mary this Christmas. The Lord is bringing forth something special within you. He has blessed you with His Spirit, and He is birthing a new vision for your life. It may be troubling to consider, for it is stretching you out of your comfort zone. You realize that other people around you may not understand, but God has made it clear to you.
Will you, like Mary, humbly accept the Word planted in you as the Lord's servant? Will you embrace the life He wants to give you this Christmas? Will you believe that nothing is impossible with God? If so, I believe you will see amazing things spring forth from your life, and you, too, will treasure up what the Lord has done in your life.
Merry Christmas, Influencers. You, too, are a witness to the miracle of Jesus coming to this Earth. I pray it is as glorious for you in 2016 as it was back then.