25 Days with Mary, Day 12

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Possible

No Fail

Let’s recap out of Luke what we’ve been learning so far:

26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 1:26-37

After a long list of impossible things, (and don’t you just love it that God chose Dr. Luke to transcribe all of these physical impossibilities…he had to be paying extra attention with his background, I’d imagine-God’s plan is ever so perfect in each detail), after the list of things Mary knew were not possible without divine intervention, God answers her how and concludes it in verse 37: For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Knowing God

Mary knew the God of the Old Testament. She knew what Gabriel meant when he said with God nothing is impossible. I wonder where her mind took her to in God’s Word?

  • To the Red Sea, divided?
  • The very words from God’s mouth creating the world?
  • Noah building an ark, gathering the animals, warning the world and being saved from the flood & the earth’s demise?
  • A fire and three faithful servants thrown in to die but left without the first singe of a burn?
  • Daniel refusing government mandated evil and coming out of a den of lions alive & well…and still worshiping his God?
  • A Whale’s belly not consuming Jonah… and a life redirected to the Lord?
  • Job’s demise of all that was good and God’s restoration in his life as he continually chose to see -and declare-God’s good character again and again?

I just wonder what she was thinking from all that she knew of God. Mary’s faith was about to become sight in a way she’d never known before.

Not Impossible

Mary, you will see an angel who has a message from God for you.

God spoke to Mary through His angel with an unexpected message, in an ordinary place, in a peculiar way.

What message is God telling you?

Not Impossible.

Mary, lowly handmaiden of the Lord, you are highly favored, blessed and the Lord is with you.

Mary’s humbleness was a reflection of her heart toward God but not of God’s toward her. She was indeed favored by Him.

What do you see about yourself when you look into God’s Word and His heart toward you? Keep looking.

Not Impossible.

You will be scared half to death by the angel’s appearance, and He will calm your every fear.

Mary’s circumstances were too scary to face, but God was bigger than her fears.

What scares you? What anxiety tends to overtake truth, invade your rational thoughts, and spin your stomach upside down?

Not Impossible.

You, a young virgin, are going to be pregnant, give birth to a baby, and name Him Jesus.

Mary wasn’t able to manipulate those around her for help or understanding. She wasn’t be able to otherwise control what was about to happen. And she didn’t even try to. Her life circumstances were absolutely impossible without God’s power and presence.

What situation out of your control (and out of your responsibility) are you running ragged trying to interrupt, stop or prevent in your life, today?

Not Impossible.

You will birth the King of Kings, love Him, raise Him up, follow & obey Him, and watch Him die; you will give your life for Him because He gave His life for you.

Mary faced hard things in her life. She wasn’t blessed into an easy life, but she was blessed because of who she was, and who she allowed God to be, in her extraordinary but tough circumstances life.

Do you feel overwhelmed in your own life circumstances? Remember Mary, remember Jesus.

Not Impossible.

Rich men & Heaven, Camels & Needles

One of the most significant impossibles is recorded in the book of Mark. Mark chapter ten.

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

23And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 24And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? 27And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Mark 10:17-27

Impossible

I’m not changing the story here. Somethings are truly impossible. We’d all die to wait and see a camel fit through the eye of a needle, as we know them to be. And it was just as impossible for this rich man, who had everything he could want or buy, to obtain eternal life. But like every impossible thing we’ve talked about and the ones you’ve thought of in your own heart, this impossible, too, would be possible with the Lord.

The disciples wondered if Jesus was losing it. And as they scratched their heads without understanding Jesus answers them:

And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Mark 10:27

No Fail Way to possible

Friends, when we go through things that are from God in our lives, and when we are instructed to obey Him in things that seem too hard-impossible, we can know this. If it comes from the Lord, and even when it seems impossible to everyone around us, we can trust Him. Pick yourself up, believe what God says to you, and follow Him. It’s not impossible, instead it’s the no fail way to POSSIBLE; it’s Jesus!

25 Days with Mary, Day 11

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In the Flesh

From what I know of Mary throughout scripture, we know she is someone who puts my own reflection of the cross to shame in more ways than I even know. I can’t imagine in this day God would have chosen me in Mary’s place. I have wavered in my obedience to the Lord in my lifetime and, God’s sweetness in Mary’s character overwhelms me…me and my way too often and easily complaining self. Friends, I have to admit something totally insane here, *I* complain to my family about (ready for this?) their complaining! What is that about? God, forgive me…change my heart, O God!

Quietness of Heart

I digress. One thing I personally relate to in the flesh, (and this is just my own opinion, not an assertion of who she was through and through-since I don’t really know) is she seems to be introverted. I don’t mean that in a sense of aloofness. We are assured of Mary’s favor with those around her, so she wasn’t someone who didn’t relate well with others or take time to be personable with them. In fact, in order to be known as someone who was favored, well liked and carried a good reputation so much that it was known in town to be so, we’d have to presume she was kind, friendly and compassionate. I like to think of myself as a woman who has lived much the same way, but it’s another facet of her that I relate to at this time in my life; her quietness in the closest details of her heart.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 

Luke 1:36

News Travels Fast

How long does it take for any kind of news to travel in your circle of family, church or friends? My family tends to allow others to tell their own story, but in most of my circles it’s hard not to see the commotion around big news-whether from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, or the grapevine: news travels fast. This was big news, REALLY BIG news. Mary, as beautifully amenable to her God, was flesh and blood a lot like you and me. Her life, her body, her heart, her everything was changed in a second, and God-just as He did with Gabriel’s comforting words of assurance to her before He told her of His plan-God does it again. Knowing everything about her and understanding the limits her flesh and blood would allow, God gives her hope and in a way on He could have.

Details, details, details

Left to her own thoughts, do you think it would have ever crossed Mary’s mind what God had in the details? In a million years, would she ever had thought, “…if only God would allow me to go to Elisabeth who could also be experiencing a miraculous pregnancy as I am?” I don’t like to go out on the limb of living too much in biblical account because I don’t want to flourish God’s Word in any little way, and yet, no matter what, God gives Mary an in the flesh kind of hope like only He can.

A Godly Friend

This whole post could have been about just that; a godly friend. It amazes me, blows me away, of the constant stories from lonely hearts and Christian women needing a friend. Is that you? IF that is you, pray about a friend. And, in the meantime, if you want a friend in me, reach out to me on my Facebook page/messenger @A Girl in the Middle. I truly am here in this place to help women like you in your place. I’ve met the most treasured friends in this way, and by that I mean-in God’s way. Mary needed a friend, and God was already ahead of that in His plan.

Do you wonder why after such an immense expansion to Gabriel’s explanation in the sentences just preceding this one, that God goes on to tell her about Elizabeth? She wasn’t part of Jesus’ birth story, per se’ but the Lord makes sure she’s in it. Why? As odd for Mary, a young virgin to be pregnant, it was almost as extraordinary for a very old, infertile, woman to be expecting, too. As vast their differences, Mary and Elizabeth had a profound commonality, not only were they each unexpectedly expecting, as told by God, their bond was God.

Lonely vs Alone

Mary wasn’t alone, but how could she not have felt lonely as she faced her circumstances with no kind of human understanding around her? That, my friends, is exactly where we usually struggle to. We feel alone (though God promises to NEVER leave us, NEVER forsake us, praise Him!), we feel alone when life’s circumstances leave us without a soft place to fall physically, emotionally and most of all, spiritually.

I cannot, can not, emphasize enough the importance of girlfriends who share your quest and desire to follow after the Lord.

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

Proverbs 27:17

If you don’t have friends who encourage and challenge you in your walk with the Lord, pray for one. Pray relentlessly and God will be faithful. In the mean time, guess what? God is that friend for you.

Mary’s Friend, Our Friend

Mary had a friend (cousin is used to note a close relationship…regardless of exactly what that relationship was, in her was a godly friend) in Elizabeth. God in the details here, again. It brings me to tears as He unravels my very finite mind to His truths. Mary made haste to her friend’s house as she carried the greatest friend I would ever know. Should we ever be tempted with the lie that our little obediences don’t matter: Mary, thank you for your obedience. God, thank you for my friend, Jesus.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

John 15:13-15

He calls me friend.

For women at home

He calmed the storm to a

whisper, and the waves of the

sea were hushed.

Psalm 107:29

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