Mary, her uniqueness and the little miracles.

"Be like Mary, Remember the little miracles..."

These words have been going on and on in my heart.

Recently, I was faced by situation where I almost gave up. There were a lot of questions in my mind, I felt unhopeful and fear started to enter my heart. It was like things are going nowhere.. whatever happened to God's promises anyway? Thoughts of "I will never leave you nor forsake you" suddenly became blurry to me. It was indeed a faith stretching situation. But God reminded me.. "Be like Mary... "

I asked God, "what is it about Mary that you want me to learn, Father?"

I picked up my bible and started reading.

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.

The virgin’s name was Mary. 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 conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him 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 Jacob’s descendants 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 on 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 unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

For us to fully understand Mary's situation, let us take a step back to history.

According to some accounts, Mary was around 12-14 when she was bethrothed and visited by angel Gabriel, given the Jewish marriage traditions that time.

Learning this , made me wonder. "How could she react that way when she's given such a huge responsibility at her age? She is virgin and yet would conceive a child? People would judge her! What would her fiance say? Fear must have a lot of room in her heart."

But I liked Mary's response.

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." (Luke 1:38)

This made me appreciate Mary's character. She is in a situation where fear is valid, yet she chose to respond in FAITH. If I were to translate her response in my words, It'll be like this.. "Okay Lord, what you want to happen is too much for me. You see, I am 12 and people might stone me to death for conceiving a son outside marriage but Your plans are always better than mine, so here I am. I am ready, whatever happens I know in my heart you got my back. Let your words be fulfilled in my life. I am ready for your divine plans. "

I admired her. Her character and her heart to serve God even in situation where everything is just a blur. I admired her faith and her courage to say YES to what God wants, believing His IMPOSSIBLE PLANS and most importantly not forgetting that God will be with her along the journey.

I found myself, in my situation being the exact opposite of her. I guess in my story, I have forgotten the validity of God's promises. Just as Angel Gabriel said "No word from God will ever fail." I have forgotten that God's ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and when He says He will never leave me nor forsake me, those promises are as sure as the sun coming up again the following day.

Mary, unlike me was the one who BELIEVED and she was blessed for having a faithful heart. And because of it, Mary Magdalene declared over her..

Luke 1:45

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would do what He promised her"

Mary believed God's promises. At her young age, she understood that she is serving a God whose word will never return empty and will accomplish the purpose for which it has been sent. I believe Mary did not have an easy life. Just imagine raising and being the mother of Jesus the Messaiah. It must have been faith-stretching life for her. But I believe what kept her going was this..

Luke 2: 1-21

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

You see how faithful God was in Mary's life? Truly, every word that God has said, was fulfilled.

From the news brought by Angel Gabriel, to the census, to not having a place to stay, to giving birth in a manger, to the angel that appeared to the shepherds, to giving birth to the savior of the world--- JESUS.

Mary, stored all these things in her heart. And this is what kept her going:

SHE REMEMBERED HER LITTLE MIRACLES.

Then I was reminded, If I were to take a minute and look back at my life, God in His great and mighty power has done marvelous things in my life. He's done wonders upon wonders yet I have forgotten that this is His promise.

Jeremiah 33:3

"Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know"

As for me, I learned that God wants me to be like Mary. He wants me to have her heart of Faith. That even in the most impossible situation, she believed that when God say's He can, then He will. That even in the midst of her faith being stretched to the limit, she rested on God's promises.

Are there promises from God that you are holding on to your life, or to your situation? Just be in Faith, your God is a promise keeper. Just like Mary, remember your little miracles.

Psalm 40:5

"Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare."

PRAYER:

Father in Heaven,

Thank you for your grace and love. Here I am Lord, I accept your divine plans in my life. In my journey Father, remind me that you always go before me. It is your promise that You will never leave me nor forsake me ; let my heart rest in your word Lord.

I praise You, for the wonderful things that you have done in my life. For the blessings that I have prayed for, and for your faithfulness in giving me even the things that I didn't ask from you. They are just too many to count and declare O God.

Thank you Father because you are going to do more in me. I yearn to see more wonders Father. Today, I pray for a Faithful heart, just like Mary, help me to remember my LITTLE MIRACLES. Help me to always see the good in every situation. And may I never forget that you are a great God, and the one who keeps His promises. When you say you can, then you will.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

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