Christmas tradition can cause us to breeze over the classic passages outlining the Christmas story. However a meditative look at these passages can give you a fresh, applicable perspective. Here are four lessons from the life of Mary to encourage you in your walk of faith.
Mary’s purity made her usable in God’s plan. (Luke 1:28)
In spite of the fact we are incredibly untrustworthy, God is merciful and gives us multiple chances to serve Him. However, God selected Mary because she was a trustworthy person. Scripture makes it clear that God highly favoured Mary. The relationship between God and Mary reflected the relationship God had with the apostle John, the disciple Jesus loved. Mary had the close, abiding relationship with God because she chose to. (John 15)
God is looking for someone who is serious and intentional in their walk. Abiding doesn’t just happen. One chooses to be close to God. The offer of abiding is open to anyone, but only those who choose to be close to God will have that special abiding relationship. God chooses to use men and women who are pure and holy, set apart and abiding in Christ.
Does God favour you? Are you abiding? Is your life one God can use to be a channel of his grace to a world that needs the message you know?
Mary remained faithful to God, even in the face of social stigma. (Luke 1:38)
Doing the right is often stigmatic. The world mocks those who are serious about their faith. Obedient believers will inevitably find themselves in situations that make them look bad in the eyes of the world. In God’s perfect plan, Mary found herself in the midst of a scandalous situation.
In ancient jewish culture, a woman having a child out of wedlock was a huge scandal. Even with her good testimony, who would believe her outrageous story? A child divinely planted in her womb?! Even Joseph, her closest ally, didn’t believe her story until the angel appeared to him in a dream. Only then did he believe the wild tale. Imagine what everyone else thought! The stigma never disappeared from Mary’s life. Even during that latter part of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus experienced mockery for being a born out of wedlock. (John 8:41) Mary bore the brunt of this criticism. However. There is never a moment in scripture where we see her complaining, faltering, or angry at her position. On the contrary, she consistently rejoiced at the opportunity to bear the son of God. (Luke 1:48)
Do you, like Mary, stay faithful even in the face of adversity?
Mary’s faith made her usable in God’s plan (Luke 1:45)
During Mary’s visit, Elisabeth commented on the faith Mary possessed. Mary had a testimony of faith which made her usable in God’s plan of redemption.
Without faith it is impossible to please God. He that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Abraham believed God. God credited his faith as righteous. God always honors faith. (Hebrews 11:6)
Like these heroes of the faith, we too must believe God. We must believe every promise of God. Believe God answers prayer! Trust that the gospel is powerful. Believe that God is good, and trust him in the darkness, even when circumstances are bad. Faith is essential to usefulness in God’s kingdom.
Do you believe God? Are you seeing God use you today?
Mary praised before she saw the fulfillment of the promise (Luke 1:46-55)
Sometimes when we are in the midst of an impossible situation we can lose hope and forget that God does the impossible. The news the angel shared with Mary was an impossibility. There was no way for Mary to experience naturally what God had promised. However, God was well able to perform what he promised. Mary understood this and chose to praise God, even before she saw the answer.
Do you believe God enough to praise him before you see his promises fulfilled?
Mary is a great example of faith for all of us to follow. During this Christmas season allow the example of Mary to encourage you in your walk of faith!
Will Esayenko is an evangelist from Alberta, Canada. He was trained at Baptist College of Ministry in Menomonee Falls, WI. He traveled twice with Bobby Bosler as a team captain doing youth evangelistic work during his college years. It is his goal to see a new church planting movement established in Western Canada.
