The Mary Principle

As we draw close to the celebration of Christmas and the whirlwind of activity that can often come with it, I reflected on Christ's birth.  Specifically, I was drawn by the Holy Spirit to the conception of Jesus in Mary's womb.  It is amazing to me that this young teenager (probably 14-16 years old) would be so mightily used of God.  The depth of her faith and character are revealed by her response to the encounter with God through the angel Gabriel.  When Gabriel gives her (Luke 1:28-38) the promise of God that she would give birth to a child and His name would be Jesus, she responds with the logical question of how could this be because she is a virgin.  Unlike Zachariah's response to the angel that questioned God's promise based on the natural circumstances (he and his wife were old), Mary's response is one of wander-filled faith.  Mary does not question if God can do this but how it will happen.  Gabriel then goes on to share that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and conceive the child.

Mary's response to the word of God is amazing when she says, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word".  She receives the word and agrees that this will happen by faith, even though she must have a lot of questions in her heart.  This response of not only faith but surrender positioned her to be used of God in a mighty way to accomplish His plan.  When she came into agreement with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit came upon her, she became pregnant with the Word of God (Jesus is the Word became flesh-John 1:14).  I am not sure what would have happened if she had not come into agreement with the Word and surrendered herself to the promise.

I believe Mary becoming pregnant with the promise (Word of God) is not only for her but also to show us the way God wants to operate with us.  Mary had no ability (in her own strength or effort) to bring about conceiving Jesus, the Son of God.  Thus in the Promise was the very divine DNA of Jesus, she added nothing to it but became the carrier of the Promise.  When God gives a promise over our lives (from the Word or prophetic) we become a carrier of the Promise, in essence we are pregnant with the Promise.  Yet our effort to try to bring the Promise into fruition will only lead to frustration because it is God who brings about the Promise.  Mary not only surrendered, agreed with the Promise by faith, but also carried the Promise to full term.  Mary must have endured hardship, shame, questioning, probably rejection, and difficulty as she carried the Son of God to full term.

As we receive and surrender to the Promise by faith, we also may endure hardship and difficulty as we participate with God to see the Promise be manifested in and through us in our lives.

People of Promise,
Bret