There are a lot of inspiring women in the Bible. I love that we have so many examples of God using women. It shows me that I am valuable in God’s eyes and that He has a specific purpose for me.
One of those inspiring women of the Bible is Mary. She gets a lot of attention around Christmas time, but she should be a role model to Christian women throughout the year, too.God had something for Mary to do that no man could ever do.
Only a woman could give birth to a baby who would grow up to save the world. What an awesome privilege Mary was given!
And yet, that honor didn’t come without sacrifice.
Because of the honor of being highly favored of God:
- She almost lost the love of Joseph.
- Her reputation, and Joseph’s, was ruined.
- She gave birth in a stable.
- And eventually, she had to watch her precious child be tortured, crucified, and killed.
All too often we want God to use us in ways that are amazing and maybe somewhat glamorous, but we’d rather not make great sacrifices for the privilege. After all, no sane person desires to be embarrassed or experience devastation.
We often desire the purpose of God, as long as we can pray away the pain that may come with it.
Being highly favored and blessed, as Mary was, may not mean that life will be a bed of roses. More often than not, we face the greatest opposition when we are fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. Mary didn’t know how things would play out in her life, but I’m sure she had some idea of what might happen if she became pregnant out of wedlock.
If I had been in Mary’s place, I would have had a ton of questions and concerns! There’s a lot to consider, right?
Mary’s response is something we can all learn from: “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word…” {Luke 1:38}
No argument.
No negotiations.
No fighting it.
“Be it unto to me.”
I hope that I can be that eager and willing to step into what God has for me, each time He asks. I hope I can accept His purpose without thought or concern for what it might cost me.
Romans 12:1 reminds us that we should be ‘living sacrifices’ to God. It is our reasonable service.
If we could be like Mary and have the heart to say, “here I am God, be it unto me,” with no questions asked, I wonder what more could we accomplish for the Kingdom of God?
How different would our lives be if we learned to pray:
My life is Yours.
My identity is Yours.
My reputation is Yours.
My relationships are Yours.
My career is Yours.
My dreams are Yours.
I’m laying everything aside for Your purpose!
What an amazing, godly woman Mary was.
Yes, she was the mother of Jesus, but she was also an example for all of us women who want see God’s purpose unfold in our lives.
Five little words began a series of events that altered our eternity: