REFLECTIONS

December 1st, 2019

"you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus."

Luke 1:30-31

Carrying the Messiah

Just an ordinary girl it seemed, living an ordinary life amid her wedding plans. Besides wedding day preparations and the week of celebration to honor that glorious day, Mary’s thoughts never drifted from Joseph. Her imagination thrilled with building a life with him, making a home, having a family and nurturing it. How could she think of anything else?

As a good Jewish girl should, she knew Isaiah’s prophetic words, “the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel,” written long ago but seemingly for a time still far away. “Surely God had someone in mind to carry the Messiah,” she might have thought never dreaming He would choose her. That is until Gabriel appeared with, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28) And life changed.

In the months following, one can only imagine Mary’s feelings while the mystery in her body unfolded, the baby moved and grew daily within her. She did her best to keep her condition a secret since people would not choose to believe a virgin could be with child. In time though, the secret would be revealed.

One may wonder if she truly believed each day that she had been the virgin chosen to bring the long-awaited Messiah into the world. And one wonders if Mary received God’s daily encouragement, or if Gabriel occasionally returned to comfort her.

Of course, we don’t know what it was like for her. We only know what it is like for us. It isn’t easy to believe that you and I, living ordinary lives, could have found favor with God, and that He has chosen us to carry the Messiah. Unsure of it? Then just sit still. Feel Him moving and growing within you; then “you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:20)

Like Mary, we may try to keep the mystery of Jesus in us a secret since few people will find us worthy of such a call; but in time it is a secret we should not keep. Like Mary,

God has chosen [you and me] to make known…the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

You are the light of the world,

Richard +

www.reflectingthesavior.org.


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