An Invitation
pc:markus-spiske
Luke 1:45
"You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Even though Christmas has past, and we have launched into the new year I am still thinking on Mary and pondering this truth that the angel told her. Blessed is she who believes that the Lord will do what He says. The thing that strikes me differently this year is that though this is a statement, it is also an invitation. If I want to be blessed, I need to choose to believe God will do what He says. I need to trust that His words to me are true and one hundred percent reliable. Mary was blessed because she believed the angel when He told her that she would become pregnant and have a baby who would be God ’s son. Her believing set into motion God’s plan to save the world; His plan to save me and you
But the thing is her belief was so much more than ‘just’ having a baby placed in her womb. Behind her willingness to accept this was so much more. She must have believed that God was good and had her best interest at heart. She must have believed that He would provide for her since this could surely mean that Joesph would divorce her. She must have believed that God would protect her knowing that the law for an unmarried pregnant women meant stoning. A lot of the groundwork had already been laid. She had made up in her mind about God and what He was like. She had simple childlike trust and faith in His character. Because of this she could receive all God had for her.
Mary’s capacity to be blessed was in direct proportion to her belief. This is the same for us. The invitation is there. Blessing is right in front of us for the taking. God is holding out his hand saying,” The blessing is yours when you believe in me and trust my good character.” So, I can choose to worry and fret and go in frantic circles of anxiety or I can believe He will do what He promised. I can stand on the truth that He is good and receive the gifts He has for me right here, right now.
In Christ, I have this choice. I can either fall back into hyper-vigilant self-care and self-dependence, bowing to self as God or I can choose to believe that Jesus oversees everything and is working for my good. I can put my full weight on the truth that He will protect, and care for me.
In my everyday trials and moments, He is making me aware that I can choose Him; like when I planned a chicken dish for dinner but realized as I pulled the meat of the freezer that there was not enough to feed all the hungry mouths at my table. I could throw a fit upsetting everyone and everything or pray, “God you are provider; You make fish and loaves multiply. Could You make this chicken enough for my family tonight?” Time and time again He has made it enough. It never matches up; what I pull out of the freezer and what ends up on the plate. You see believing that He is present and that His heart is for me makes all the difference. The fact is He loves to help me, to serve me, and to love me. Believing that changes everything. Seeing him come through for me by meeting my needs and loving on me, that’s the hidden gift behind multiplied chicken. Of course things won’t always be easy or always work out the way I want them to but with Christ there is always blessing.
So, I have decided that my challenge for the year ahead is to practice choosing to believe what He has said and let that shift my view. Maybe you would like to join me and do this too. We can live lives of continual blessing when we choose to follow Him and step into what He says is true!