Bible Reading: Luke 1:30-35, 38
The angel said to Mary, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour 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.
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered.
"May your word to me be fulfilled."
A Reflection
Being fans of ‘The Great British Bake Off’ Helen and I decided to also watch the final episode of ‘An Extra Slice’ to see the interviews with the three finalists. There we witnessed the winner get down on one knee and propose to his girlfriend / partner who had had his baby subsequent to the final episode being filmed. Happily for him and the viewers she said ‘Yes’.
I commented in my last ‘Thought for the Day’ that, although different denominations have different views of Mary, all agree that she was an outstanding example of a life dedicated to God.
I think Mary is special, not because she was somehow more perfect than other women, she wasn’t. Mary didn’t earn God’s favour; she was blessed by God purely because God chose to bless her. Mary was special because she said ‘Yes’ to God. Mary risked her reputation, her marriage, her future and her life, in order to do what God asked of her. And what God asked of her was both mind-boggling and scary, and was well out of her comfort zone!
Sometimes God asks us to step out of our comfort zones and do something different or special for him or for someone else. Like Mary, we might reply, ‘How will this be?’ To which God will reply ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’.
What might God have been prompting in you, to which you are saying ‘How can this be’?
God will never ask you to do something for which he will not also provide you with the means to fulfil, rather he will give you the gift of his Holy Spirit, to equip you and to empower you.
Will you take a risk with God today and say ‘Yes, Lord’ to something he is asking you to do?
A Prayer
Holy Spirit, empower me today to fulfil the plans and purposes you have for me, that in whatever comes my way, I might serve you in faith and obedience.
Amen
I will worship with all of my heart
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