His Humble Servant

Luke 1:45-48
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her! (Spoken by Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, when Mary visited her.)
And Mary said:
  My soul glorifies the Lord
  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
  for he has been mindful
  of the humble state of his servant.

Have you ever been totally surprised by the blessings of God? Time and again I am amazed at the way God works in my life. He provides opportunities for me that I never imagined were possible. As a child, my shyness stood in the way of accomplishment. I cringed if I had to read out loud in class. And my anxiety kicked in if I had to stand in front of the room and recite. But, God worked in my life and has given me the courage and confidence to stand before women and speak about his amazing love.

As much as my anxiety and shyness bothered me, I cannot imagine how Mary must have felt when she was told that she’d carry God’s son. A young teen, engaged to Joseph, living a simple God-fearing life and all of a sudden she’s pushed into the spotlight. Not just as Jesus mother, but as an unwed mother who brought embarrassment to her fiancé— not because she’d done anything wrong, but because she served God. Yet, she chose to praise God for her blessings. As Christmas draws near and I think about the miracle of Jesus birth, I praise God for the people who allow God to work in their lives so that I might better understand his grace and glory. Mary’s willingness to follow the Lord brought Jesus into the world. Praise God for sending his love to us.