Mary's Leap of Faith

About 2,000 years ago a messenger from God, an angel, appeared to a virgin girl named Mary and informed her that she would be pregnant. Confused, she asked, "How can this be? I've never been with a man!" But the angel told her that she would be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. So she put her faith in what the angel said and in what the Lord would do. (Luke 1:26-38 paraphrase)

And so began the story of Jesus coming to earth.

It seems simple. A nice story. A story that has been on repeat every Christmas since you were a child. But it's not just a story, but truth. The truth about a girl, most likely a teenager, who gave up everything in order to honor God's plan.

Think about it. Mary was betrothed to Joseph, an honorable, righteous man. Back in the day, betrothed wasn't just a fancy word for engaged. It meant the guy and girl were legally bound together. So it's like the marriage before the marriage. Essentially, it would have looked like she committed adultery. Even if betrothal wasn't legally binding, she would have had to deal with a whole lot of everything from her family and her fiancée. Talk about tough.

"So hey, mom, dad, an angel appeared to me and told me I'd be pregnant by the Holy Spirit and I am. Cool?"

Riiiight.

So, Joseph didn't divorce Mary and she wasn't stoned to death for adultery. But think of all the pressure she was under with that one meeting with an angel. Think of all the thoughts that ran through her mind. "I could be killed!" "What is Joseph going to do when he finds out?" "Will my family disown me?"

Still Mary said to the angel "let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38 ESV)

What if everything you ever knew was put on the line? Your family could disown you, your fiancée leave you, your friends think you're crazy, all because God wants to use you.

God had this incredible plan to save the world, but first He had a teenage girl say yes to His plan.

We're on the other side of that plan. We see the end result. Mary didn't.
All she knew is that God had a plan and she could say yes to it.

What is God calling you to put on the line?
Friendships? Jobs? Success? Money? Family?

You see, God has a wonderful, amazing, blow-our-minds plan for us. Ephesians 2:10 says that "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (ESV)

We are "created in Christ Jesus for good works." How amazing is that? God has set us up to do good things.

But like Mary, the good things aren't always easy things. They might even cost us something. But is the end result worth the cost? You better believe it!

Through Mary, Jesus, the Son of God, came into the world, died, rose again, and set us free from death! We, 2,000 years later, are affected by her choice. Her choice echoes throughout eternity.

What is God calling you to? What leap of faith, crazy, radical decision is God putting in front of you? Maybe it's just to trust Him in the little things. Maybe it's to give a little more this Christmas.
Maybe it's bigger. Maybe He's calling you to quit your job and move overseas.
Whatever it is, be encouraged to take the leap like Mary did and watch what God does through you.

Merry Christmas!

Love always,

Heather

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