Have you ever thought what you would ask Mary if you could have a conversation with her?
Wow Mary, what if you had known all this? How did you handle the news of your pregnancy? The angel that came was magnificent. And when he said, “The Most High will overshadow you! You’re going to have His Son!”… what could she say or do?
She probably had so many thoughts racing through her mind when Gabriel appeared. How do you even begin to understand that God has chosen you to be the mother of the “Son of the Most High”? Now, Mary had to make a choice. A choice of “not to fear”, a choice to trust God and not listen to what people were going to say. It probably made no sense to her at all.
Mary reacted in the only way she knew how and that was to make a choice to accept what God had planned for her. She had grown up knowing the power of God they worshiped. She knew of His love and His provision. And if that was what God wanted for her, then how could she do anything but accept His plan?
It wouldn’t have been easy Many women who had sex outside of marriage were stoned. Joseph choose to stay on her side marry her. But the fact remained: she was the town scandal. Her pregnancy was the subject of gossip everywhere. It didn’t matter what she said, people were going to think what they wanted.
Joseph and Mary knew that they hadn’t done anything wrong, but who believes two young people who were already engaged? There must have been times that she felt very isolated. Elisabeth, her cousin understood and spent quite a bit of time with her. But outside of Elizabeth and Joseph, there was no one who really understood.
She had to trust the Lord completely. Daily, hour by hour, minute by minute, she had to remind herself that God was in complete control and that He knew what He was doing.
How can you benefit from this story? everybody’s situation is unique. There are times for everybody that we have to face unexpected events or shocking news. For some that mean a pregnancy outside of marriage. Or maybe it is an illness or a job loss. It is tempting to let those situations overwhelm us, isolate us and make us doubt God.
It’s a time to choose life and not death, that’s for sure. A time to look to God as our only source and trust Him completely. When you make a righteous choice from a heart that is filled with love towards God; God will come through for you. He is always the same, no matter what happens to you; He is right there to be there for you.
Your life may not turn out how you expected, but it will turn out better than it ever could apart from God.
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