Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.- Luke 1:38
As I think about the Christmas story, I just can’t get those words out of my mind. Mary was willing to risk her reputation, give up her comfort and subject herself to great difficulties for the sake of pleasing the Lord. God wanted her to make her humanity available to Him, so He could manifest His deity to others, and she was willing for it to be so. She was willing to endure hardships for the sake of doing God’s will.
Perhaps you’ve never thought about it, but in a sense that is exactly what God wants from all of us. He wants us to “present” our “bodies a living sacrifice”(Romans 12:1) so He can make Himself known to others. As someone said, “You are the only Bible some people will ever read.” Scary thought, but it is true! Some people will make judgments concerning Christ based on what they see in you as a professing Christian. God forbid that we give the wrong impression!
Many folks have great talent, treasures,and time that could be used for God, but they refuse to use them. They waste their lives in the pursuit of selfish pleasures and expend their energy on things of no eternal value. How foolish. How sinful! God is still looking for people like Mary who will make themselves available for His purpose. Don’t worry about your lack of ability. Make yourself available without hesitation, question, or reservation and you will never regret it. Serving God isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it.Will you say this day,”be it unto me according to thy word”? I pray that you will respond as Isaiah did when he said, “Here am I; send me.”(Isaiah 6:8).
Will you give yourself to the One who gave all for you?
