Disruption for Glorification

Luke 1:26-38.

Meet a virgin girl by the name Mary. She is betrothed to get married to the love of her life, Joseph. I can imagine the excitement! If I were to apply this in the morden day case scenario, this girl was super elated. The proposal, the friends and family congratulating her, by now everyone was aware that she was going to get married. Most probably she was busy doing the wedding plans, working on her dream gown, looking for service providers, her line-up had most probably already been selected and it was a very busy season for her. As in after being in the wait, she was finally going to be with her husband.

However, in the midst of all this, out of nowhere, an Angel by the name Gabriel appears to her and he is like, “Greetings you who are highly favored, the Lord is with you”. This greeting really troubled her, as in what kind of greeting was this, especially coming from an Angel, I’m sure she was a bit scared too.

The angel goes further to tell her how she had found favor with God and was going to conceive and give birth to a son and his name would be Jesus. What kind of news was this surely!! If I were Mary I would have most probably thought that the Angel was simply prophesying over my future family.
Mary out of anxiety and of course shock, asked the angel how this was going to happen, especially since she was a virgin. The angel tells her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the most high would overshadow her and she would bear a child.

“Woooohhh! What, a minute, is this even possible. That I would have a child and yet I am not married and I have never been intimate with any man! I mean what will happen to me, how will I tell my husband to be that I am going to conceive a child of the Holy Spirit? Will he even believe me? What if he breaks off the engagement? And what will people say, that I got pregnant out of marriage, after keeping myself for this long”. I believe these were the many thoughts in Mary’s mind.

If it were me, I would try to negotiate with the angel. I think I would even tell him to look for another lady. I mean I was not willing to risk my marriage for anything. I know I would also doubt if this really was God’s will. As in how can God do such a thing? Wasn’t this him wanting to put me to shame? In fact I would tell the angel to give me some time I go discuss this with my husband to be.

However, I love Mary’s reaction. She reacted in the most amazing way. She said, “May your word to me be fulfilled. I am the Lord’s servant”.
What an answer, what level of obedience and submission! This lady had the assurance that God had the best plan for her. She had faith in God’s will for her life, even though in her own eyes her plans may have been thwarted. She had the conviction and assurance that God’s will for her life was perfect and pleasant. She totally surrendered to God’s will.
Due to Mary’s obedience, she got to be the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. The man who brought salvation to all mankind and restored the relationship between God and man.

And guess what, Joseph never left her (though he was planning to). The same angel Gabriel appeared to him too and shared the news to him and he also believed. And he took Mary as his wife.

Are there plans you have put in place, is there a certain way you have set your life to be? Are there desires that you hold so dear and basically feel like if you do not achieve them you have failed?
Well, what if God comes in and disrupts these plans, what if he does contrary to what you desired. Remember we make our plans but he has the last word. Does it seem like things are not working out as you perceived. At some point you even feel like God has downplayed you.

Well, through Mary’s story am reminded that all things work together for good for those who are in Christ Jesus and were called according to his purpose. Am reminded that the steps of the righteous are ordered by God. Yes it may not be comfortable, it can even be painful. It can be so disappointing and hurting. But as long as you are in God he will work things out for you.

So my plea would be like Mary, submit to God’s will concerning your life. Surrender those plans and desires to him. Allow him as your maker, to do what he sees best for your life. Though the process may not be easy, I know he will glorify you in the end. That situation will work out for you.

You will also realize that the Holy Spirit was able to help Mary through the process. The power of the Holy Spirit was upon her and it would help her through the process. We also have the same helper. He is there to empower, lead and guide us through the different seasons and times. He will strengthen and instruct us such that no matter how hard the process and season may be through his power we will be able to overcome.

Trust that God has got great plans for you, plans to prosper and not destroy you,plans to give you a future and a hope. I choose to have the kind of faith that Mary had, how about you?
Surrender, surrender to God. His will for you is good, pleasant and perfect!!

#beautifulstrokes #God’sflower

Author: Nickson Onguti