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Mary was about thirteen years of
age. An angel appeared to her and the Scriptures tell us “she
was troubled”, but her trouble was just beginning. When I was in
High School back in the 50’s, unlike today, it was a shameful thing for an
unmarried girl to be pregnant. It was rare that you heard the word pregnant
and then it was whispered.
If it was that way in my day,
imagine what a disgrace it was in the days of the New Testament. Mary could
actually be stoned to death by Old Testament law. Joseph was not the
father. “Then said Mary unto the angel, ‘How
shall this be, seeing I know not a man?’ And 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.’”
Mary is facing terrible possibilities. By our standards she was just a
kid. What is she going to do about her plight? As a matter of fact, it was
her “weakness” that “qualified” her for this adventure with God. Being a
virgin was not a reference to her purity, but to her weakness. (She said, “My
spirit rejoices in God my Savior,”
only sinners need a Savior) But Virgins can’t have babies. Her weakness
was the avenue for God’s glory. It is no different in your life today.
Your weakness will declare God’s power as Christ is formed in you. “Be
strong IN THE LORD, and the power of HIS MIGHT.”
What would you have done? “Mary
said, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy
word.’“ The angel had told her, “Fear
not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt
conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He 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: And he shall reign
over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.“
With the Word of God being given to
her, then came faith, for “faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” So in faith she
responds “be it unto me according to thy
word.” Mary turns her back on the problem with all its negative
potential and trusts God.
In all our dealing with life’s
troubles, we are faced with a trust issue. Are you going to trust God and
take Him at His Word or are you going to analyze the problem and measure the
problem until the problem becomes overwhelming. Wouldn’t you rather be free
in the problem? You will not be free OF the problem until you
by faith are free IN the problem.
When we accept, as Mary did, that
the problem comes from the hand of our loving Father, we can say with Paul,
no problem “for the present seemeth to be
joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit
of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Instead
of fearing the problem, fear God. Hold Him in awesome reverence. “We
know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.“
And “without faith it is impossible to please
God.“
When you see Mary’s example, be
encouraged. Know that it is simply a matter of TRUST. Will you trust Him
and “magnify” YOUR weakness or
will you try to be strong in your own self-sufficiency? Paul tells us, “And
he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.“
His
divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness
through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and
goodness. (2Peter 1:3) Notice that it is not by our knowledge
of the problem, analyzing it and dissecting it, but “through
our knowledge of him.”
So, do as Mary did and turn your
back on the problem and “grow in the grace
and knowledge of God”. With regard to trouble, Jesus said, “Seek
first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given
to you as well.”
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