What if she'd said NO?
Posted by:
Tricia Goyer on
December 6, 2007 at
1:59PM EST
Last
weekend we put out a new nativity set that my Grandma purchased for us
for our Christmas gift this year. It's a beautiful set, and I love that
it's the centerpiece of my dining room. Of course, I had to pause as I
was setting up beautiful Mary. In fact, it made me think, "What if
she'd said no?"
This morning this thought came to me again as I
was reading Called and Accountable by Henry and Norman Blackaby. Here
is what they had to say:
"One of the most significant
illustrations of hearing and responding to God is found in the life of
Mary, Jesus' mother. God's eternal purpose was to bring a Savior into
the world, and through that Savior to bring his His great salvation to
every person. He found the one through whom He would choose to
work--Mary, a quiet servant girl. An angel from God announced God's
purpose through her. Then came her amazing and wonderful response:
"'Behold a maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your
word.' And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:38). And God did what
He said He would do! Impossible to man, but possible with God (Luke
1:37)." p. 19
It made me stop to think about how willing I am to
follow what God has asked me to do. Do I always respond like Mary. No.
Are there things He's asked me to do that I haven't followed through
with yet? Yes.
Often, I ask God to lead me to new places so I
can reach new people, and sometimes I wonder if He's waiting. Waiting
for me to finish the assignments He's giving me. Waiting for me to say
yes to all He's already asked.
