The young Mary, Jesus’ mother, had so many negative trials thrown at her at one time:
· an angel’s appearance to her,
· pregnancy out of wedlock,
· a trip to see her pregnant aunt,
· a probable estrangement from her fiancé,
· her parent’s skepticism,
· whispered gossip behind her back,
· a long donkey trip for the census,
· delivering her baby in a stable,
· angels singing to shepherds in the fields
· the threat of her baby’s murder
· moving away from her family and hometown
· a visit from wealthy astronomers bearing gifts
However, Mary just tucked away all of these memories in her heart and wondered in awe that God chose her to be the mother of His only begotten Son (Luke 2:19). She gave birth to and raised the Savior and the Hope of this world, and God gave her Joseph to help her to raise this Son, as well as their own children who came along later.
God’s mercy saved us, His grace sustains us, and His love heals us in spirit, soul and body. Forgiving our sins, redeeming our guilt, satisfying our desires, filling our emptiness and using our brokenness, He offers us unity with His Trinity. We cling to the hope and experience that we have with Jesus within us.
As we rest in Him, God fills us with more of Himself, and we decrease in our self-importance, selfishness and lose our focus on our ideals and goals. As we lay broken by circumstances, ill health, calamity, destitution, abandonment, etc. God’s presence in us becomes more real to us, more trustworthy, and more secure.
Prayer:
Father God, we thank You for our union with Your presence (Galatians 2:20), Your forgiveness of our transgressions, our refuge under the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 91), Your joy that fills our soul, and the hope that we have in You alone. Although we can grieve Your Spirit with our carnality and cause You to turn Your back on our sin and transgression, thank You that You never leave or forsake us, regardless of our thoughts, words and deeds (Hebrews 13:5-8).
You are our hope in the midst of the hopelessness in this world, because You sustain us with Your promises, give us Your everlasting life, and deliver us from all of our fears (Psalm 119:116-117). Your truths are beyond human understanding until we repent; and at the same time, that Your Spirit moves into our spirit forever. We trust only in You with our whole heart, as You lead us in Your ways according to Your timing.
Thought for the Day:
God became man as our Emmanuel, and belief in Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary turns insignificant humanity into His valued family members; there is no place that we end up: not the highest heaven, the driest desert, or the deepest abyss where His presence in our life is not continual and secure.
- Matthew 28:20; Psalm 139:8-10
