(Repost from 2007)
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.
This is such a great blog!
I feel so guilty because there’s something this week that I KNOW God wants me to do but I allowed Satan to use my extreme anxiety and deliberately said ‘no’ to what God wanted me to do. That’s been happening a LOT lately. Even with church 😛 even though I really want to go!
I LOVE God and desire so urgently and desperately to do His will but then I let other things (like my anxiety and chronic fatigue) dictate what I do, not the Holy Spirit. It’s so frustrating!!!
And I know I am the one to blame in this because I know that this is (at least in part) spiritual and I’m CHOOSING sides. I KNOW that God’s way is not only the right way but the BEST way for me and yet I take a different path. Defeat over Victory. How stupid is that?!?