Friday, December 18, 2009

It takes faith to be used by God in a mighty way.

There are many examples in the Bible of the great things that God did when people left their fate to their faith in God. Joseph went from being sold into slavery to saving many people (including his family) from starvation. Daniel made it through a night in a den of hungry lions. His friends spent some time in a fiery furnace unharmed. Moses led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. Peter walked on water and then went on to spread the good news of salvation, and on and on and on. There is one story of faith that is thought about more this time of year.

Mary was, by most accounts, a teenager when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. Gabriel told her that she had found favor with God, that she would conceive a son, and he would be called Jesus. She only had one question, “How can that happen?” When Gabriel explained that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and she would conceive a child that would be holy, the Son of God, the Bible doesn’t say she hesitated. She didn’t want to talk it over with her parents or her friends. She didn’t want to know what people would think or how she would explain it. In those days, an unwed mother could be turned away from her people or even stoned, but she had faith that God would work all that out. Mary simply said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” Wow! To be that young and have that much faith in God and trust that He has your best interest in mind. God used that small woman of faith to raise His son and be the woman with the most influence in shaping his young life. What an awesome responsibility to entrust to such a young woman, but God knew her heart, just like He knows your heart.

What is God asking you to do for Him? There is no telling what could happen if we only would say with all our heart, “I am the Lord’s servant” and let Him take it from there.

~Linda Colbert