“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6)…
Mary Did You Know?
The child born of a human virgin is Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Isa. 7:14; 9:6a).
He was a human child born of a human virgin, yet He was also the very God.
Isaiah was written about seven hundred years before Christ’s incarnation, yet it speaks of a child born who would be the very God.
Gabriel Visits Mary
“Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”
(Luke 1:38)
Mary responded submissively to God’s will, as Hannah had (1 Sam. 1:11, where the same Greek word, doule, “servant,” or “slave-girl,” occurs in the Septuagint).
Even though Gabriel’s announcement was good news, it was also bad news.
Mary would bear the Messiah, but her premarital pregnancy would bring misunderstanding and undeserved shame on her for the rest of her life (cf. Deut. 22:23-24).
Therefore her humble attitude is especially admirable (cf. Gen. 21:1, 7, 12; 30:34).
“There were three miracles of the Nativity [according to Martin Luther]:
1. That God became man,
2. That a virgin conceived, and
3. That Mary believed.
And the greatest of these was the last.”
In humble submission, Mary was now ready to serve God and follow His will.
As pregnancy had lifted Elizabeth’s disgrace it would soon bring the virgin Mary disgrace.
Both agreed to do what God required (see v. 25).
A young unmarried girl who became pregnant risked disaster.
Unless the father of the child agreed to marry her, she would probably remain unmarried for life.
If her own father rejected her, she could be forced into begging or prostitution in order to earn her living.
And Mary, with her story about becoming pregnant by the Holy Spirit, risked being considered crazy as well.
Still Mary said, despite the possible risks,
“Let it be to me according to your word.”
When Mary said that, she didn’t know about the tremendous opportunity she would have.
She only knew that God was asking her to serve Him, and she willingly obeyed.
Don’t wait to see the bottom line before offering your life to God.
Offer yourself willingly, even when the outcome seems disastrous.
Mary gives us an example of total devotion to the Lord in her answer to the angel Gabriel: “I am the Lord’s servant.
Are you willing to entrust your future to God, whatever it might bring you, in the knowledge that God has only your best interest at heart, to give you thoughts of peace and not of evil, and also to give you a future and a hope.
This is true for all of Us, the Abundant Life that we all are seeking can only happen as we fulfill the destiny that God has planned for us.
Ephesians 1:3-6
New King James Version
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
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What are your greatest dreams?
The Abundant Life and the Fulfillment of your Dreams will only happen as you surrender your all to God!
Remember God can do anything and there’s NOTHING impossible with Him.
Ask God to show you what He wants you to do, and then ask Him for the power and courage to do it.
SELAH (let us pause and calmly think about these things)
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Saturday, Dec 03
Today in the Word
A MONUMENTAL MEETING
by Kelli Worrall
A friend of mine recently signed up for an overseas mission trip.
During the training, she was excited to participate with her team. But as the departure date approached, her anxiety grew until she wondered if she could even make the trip.
It’s one thing to accept God’s call on your life. It can be another thing to walk it out.
Mary wasted no time in following the angel’s lead.
She put feet to her faith and traveled for three days (80–100 miles) to visit her cousin Elizabeth and confirm Gabriel’s news.
The meeting of these two mothers was a monumental event. Both women were experiencing miraculous pregnancies with eternal implications.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s first “hello” and the baby John kicked in her womb, he was already pointing the way to Jesus.
Elizabeth’s loud exclamation was not a result of her own emotion alone. It was directed by the Holy Spirit and full of humility.
Her posture toward Mary foreshadowed her son’s ministry as he pointed to Jesus.
Elizabeth overflowed with joy and awe.
She graciously blessed Mary and expressed her honor at being a part of God’s new work.
Mary then voiced her psalm of thanksgiving.
Verses 46 to 55, called the Magnificat, are rich in theology.
The first half contains Mary’s praise for God’s blessing to her.
Like Elizabeth, she expressed humility and honor at being chosen by God.
Then Mary pronounced a general praise to God for His actions and His character, demonstrated to all people throughout time.
She worshiped God for His eternal mercy and sovereign power—a power that defied human hierarchies.
He had dethroned proud earthly rulers, elevated the humble, and provided for His people.
In both Elizabeth and Mary, we find examples of how to respond to God’s call on our life—even when that call might come with hardship and cause us fear.
May we, too, put feet to our faith and humbly praise the God who continues to call.
PRAY WITH US
We, too, have been chosen to carry out Your purposes. Like Mary and Elizabeth, we glorify You, Lord, and rejoice in You, our Savior! May our joy in serving You forever increase.
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‘Tis is the season to come join the Adventure!
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SB SALT AND LIGHT MINISTRIES 