Archive for the ‘God Called a Girl’ Category

Mary’s Song

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Praying

When I was in high school, my youth group hosted monthly nights of worship and communion in students’ homes. For awhile we met at mine. On a certain date each month my living room would be packed with forty or so high schoolers crammed into the small space like a bunch of sardines.  

People sat elbow to elbow and knee to knee, but when the music started no one seemed to notice. The entire room was engulfed in worship. We were lost in the lyrics and basking in the presence of God.

I can’t remember when these nights of worship stopped exactly, but somewhere along the way they got lost in the shuffle of school, work and hanging out.

Somewhere along the line life just got too busy and something had to go.  For some reason I was under the impression worship is something you do when you have time. Mary’s story is enough to show me I was wrong. 

As my friends and I used to cram into my living room and sing our hearts out to God, Mary sang her heart out to Him as well. Only hers was a unique and original song. 

“The Magnificat” as it is called (taken from the Latin word magnifies), consists of a handful of verses in Luke 1:46-55—and it tells us more about Mary’s life and heart than the rest of her story combined. Let’s take a look at it:

My soul exalts the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 

For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;

For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. 

For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name. 

And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him.

He has done mighty deeds with His arm;

He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

And has exalted those who were humble. 

He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed.  He has given help to Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy, as He Spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever. 

Mary was most likely illiterate, which to me makes her song truly amazing. There is so much packed into those few verses it is almost unbelievable. In this song Mary shows extensive knowledge of the Scriptures.

But what impresses me most is this girl—who scholars say could not read and did not have her own Bible—quoted portions of passages from Old Testament prophecies in Isaiah and referenced specifics of the covenant made to Abraham back in Genesis.

If Mary could not read, how on earth could she know these things? I’ve read them and they are not even that fresh in my own mind.

Think about this for a second, in order to know these Old Testament prophecies—and in order to have created this song—Mary had to pay attention intensely during her weekly visits to the synagogue because unless her father read the Scriptures to her during the week, the Sabbath would be her only exposure to them.

Imagine that—she had to memorize God’s Word by listening to it. That’s amazing. When was the last time you listened that closely in church?   

Mary’s story proves worship is not something that happens when you have time for it; it’s something that happens when you make time for it. The result is a natural outpouring of praise resulting from time spent with Jesus. Mary lived a life of undivided worship to God. Can we say the same about our lives today? When was the last time you praised God just because He is God?

In Psalm 86:11 the psalmist cries out, “Give me an undivided heart.” When was the last time you prayed a prayer like that and meant it?

The Magnificat was Mary’s way of praising God for what He was doing in her life—He was bringing the Messiah to the world, and He was using Mary to do it. How are you praising God for what He is doing in your life right now? Are you leaving behind a legacy of praise like Mary did? 

Excerpt taken from God Called a Girl. To order a copy click here.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Christmas, God, God Called a Girl, Life Lessons, Prayer | No Comments »

Not Swayed by the Cute Guy

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Teenage couple talking

Often we forget, there was more going on in Mary’s life than just her pregnancy. There was also a guy she planned on spending the rest of her life with.

Although we have no recollection of the conversation that went on between Mary and Joseph on the day she told him she was going to have a baby, Matthew 1:19 does tell us a little bit about Joseph’s reaction:

“And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly.” 

 Joseph knew he and Mary had never been together intimately (in fact he was not technically even her husband yet, but Jewish law stated betrothal was as legally binding as marriage although there had not yet been a consummation of the relationship at this point).

Therefore, Mary’s pregnancy was seen by Joseph—and all of those who would soon find out—as adultery, which at that time was punishable by death. 

Imagine that, Mary turned to the man whom she had planned to spend the rest of her life with to tell him of the great blessing God was bestowing on her—and he wanted nothing to do with her.

Mary had to have known Joseph wouldn’t take the news too well—the whole thing sounded ridiculous. An angel appearing to a virgin and announcing she would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit would seem a little sketchy to someone who hadn’t brushed up on the Isaiah 7 prophecy (which actually foretells that the Messiah will be born of a virgin).

Think about how horrible that news must have seemed to Mary—here she was not even technically married yet, and she was going to be divorced (which was unheard of in those days).

She was going to be all alone—raising a baby—despised by her town, despised by her family and despised by Joseph. In that moment she probably could not have felt more unloved and shut out if she tried. She was facing ultimate rejection. 

How many of us are firm in our convictions and are willing to hold fast to our beliefs—until some smooth talking, good looking, guy comes along? For many of us, the thought of being loved—or even liked—by an attractive and popular guy is enough to make us think twice about our convictions.

Some common excuses to wanting (and basking in) attention from a good looking guy who is bad news are, “Well, God is going to use me to lead this guy to Christ.” Or, “I’m just dating him, it’s not like we are getting married or anything.” The list could go on for miles, but it doesn’t change the facts—when the guy for you comes along you won’t have to make excuses or compromise your convictions—and Mary didn’t either.

Matthew 1:20-23 tells us God came to Joseph in a dream informing him Mary was not lying, and the child she was carrying was indeed from God. Verses 24 and 25 tell us he took Mary as his wife and kept her a virgin until Christ was born. 

Notice Mary didn’t have to do any convincing. There was no, “But Joseph I’m the one for you—really,” coming out of Mary’s mouth. Had that story taken place today, I’m not so sure it would have turned out the same way. 

I want to borrow a quote from Elisabeth Elliot when it comes to the guy issue (then we’ll get back to Mary’s story—I promise). In her best-selling book, Passion and Purity, Ms. Elliot says:

Women are always tempted to be initiators. We like to get things done. We want to talk about situations and feelings, get it all out in the open, deal with it. It appears to us that men often ignore and evade issues, sweep things under the rug, forget about them, go on with projects, business, pleasures, sports, eat a big steak, turn on the television, roll over, and go to sleep. Women respond to this tendency by insisting on confrontation, communication, showdown. If we can’t dragoon our men into that, we nag, we plead, we get attention by tears, silence or withholding warmth and intimacy. We have a large bag of tricks. 

Although we cannot “listen in” on Mary’s conversation with Joseph, the outcome still teaches us two important things. First it teaches we should never let our convictions and decisions be guided by our attractions—if God is calling us to do something then we are to do it, even if it costs us the affections of a guy whether he is godly or not.

Second, we are not to try to “force” things when a certain guy does not seem to believe he fits into God’s plan for our lives—no matter what we think God has told us. We should never use a “thus saith the Lord” in an attempt to manipulate some guy into being a part of God’s plan for our lives. Like Mary, we need to leave that part up to God. 

Let God fill the guy in on how he is (or isn’t) supposed to be part of your life.

Excerpt taken from God Called a Girl. To order a copy click here.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Christmas, Dating, God, God Called a Girl, Life Lessons | 4 Comments »

A Costly Yes

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

iStock_000008962604XSmall

Harlot!  The word probably rang through Mary’s soul with such force she involuntarily shivered. She wasn’t one, in fact she couldn’t have been further from one, but that is not what other people would think. I can see her running her hands through her long dark hair and straightening her headpiece trying to calm her nerves. Did he really say I would be with child—God’s child? 

I can see Mary backing herself into a chair, running her hand down her face—not in disbelief, but in shock at what just occurred. God knocked on her door, and she answered. She didn’t even really think about it, her decision came naturally—almost as if instinct took over where emotion went numb.    

Once Gabriel left her presence, she had time to sit and ponder the things she just beheld. In just a few months her belly would bulge, and all of Nazareth would know this girl with the child growing inside of her was not married. The world was under the impression there was only one way to make a baby—only Mary and God knew there were really two.

Yes, the Jews had been looking for their Messiah for years, but they would never believe He would come through the womb of a poor girl from a low-class town.  No, the King of the world would not be born into poverty—common sense said there was no way. Ah, but Gabriel said something different and he was sent from God.

The penalty in those days for pre-marital pregnancy was being stoned to death.  Mary knew that when she agreed to be part of God’s plan. What we most often fail to realize is Mary had a choice in this whole matter. Gabriel’s words to Mary did not come in the form of a command—she had to agree to the divine offer. Mary submitted to the will of God out of obedience and out of her own free will. 

She could have said no. She could have scoffed at the offer or cowered in fear. She could have told Gabriel she would “pray about it,” and he needed to come back later. But Mary did none of those things. Mary only said yes. Now I am not saying we should always instantly say yes to ministry opportunities that arise. Some matters require prayerful consideration before decisions can be made. But other times there is no question—God is in it and we need to act.   

Mary was asked to relinquish her reputation, her honor and her very life if needed in order to answer God’s call. Think about that for a second.  Mary—who was a virgin—was asked to take on a role that would cause many to think of her as loose in her morals and worthy of death.  Insults would fly every time she stepped outside and the baby—after He was born—would be forced to endure accusations He was illegitimate. 

Would you relinquish your reputation, your honor and your life to answer the call of God? Many of us flinch when God requires something far smaller from us.

Mary’s response to God’s call for her should stand as a perfect example for those of us who are seeking to obey God in our lives today. She didn’t know all His plan would entail, she didn’t know how He would pull it off, she didn’t know what would become of her in the process—she only knew what it would cost her to obey and she didn’t waiver for even a minute. She couldn’t foresee all the blessings—she could only see the bottom line. Often, it is the same with us.     

Other people may not—and probably will not—understand the call God has on your life. Sometimes you will be asked to do things that seem crazy to other people, and you will be asked to put your all out there on the line. Just look at Mary. She had nothing going for her in the deal she made with God—except a promise no one could see but her. 

A simple yes was all it took from the mouth of Mary for God to send a Savior to the world. There is no telling what a simple yes from your mouth will do today. 

Excerpt taken from God Called a Girl. To purchase a copy click here.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Christmas, Fear, God, God Called a Girl | 4 Comments »

When Questions Remain

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Sadness

There Mary was, completely startled by Gabriel’s appearance in her living room (or whatever room). She was troubled by the divine interruption in her life, and was unsure of what to think of the predicted outcome. How in the world was a virgin going to become pregnant—with the Son of God nonetheless? 

I can just see her standing in the presence of Gabriel, brow wrinkled in confusion, mouth agape. She probably struggled to find words to formulate her question.  Have you ever felt that way? I know I have had many moments where I felt like I needed to run and get a Q-tip and clean out my ears just to make sure I heard God right. 

In the same manner God shocked Mary with His plans for her, He delights in surprising us with radical revelations and seemingly impossible plans that leaves us standing in wonder—questioning if we heard Him correctly, and sometimes even pondering whether or not it was God’s voice we heard at all. 

God graciously allowed Gabriel to answer Mary’s first question—but I am sure there were many other questions that went unanswered in the months and years to come. And Gabriel’s answer to Mary’s first question was not even that helpful. 

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God,” he said in Luke 1:35 as if that really answered what she asked.

If I were Mary my next question would have been, “Okay, but how exactly is He going to do that? Will it hurt?” Perhaps it all happened so fast Mary was left speechless.  Or maybe she was just naturally less inquisitive than most of us. 

But no matter what the case was, we know God saw fit to give one small girl one very large task—and He deemed it acceptable to leave many questions lingering in her mind as He unfolded His plans and accomplished what He promised. 

Many times, frustration leads us to faith like nothing else. Recently I attended a conference requiring air travel. I arrived at the airport early just like the airline advised me to, but because of a security breach in a nearby terminal the lines were extra long and I missed my flight. 

I got a seat on a flight—four hours later—which put a big kink in my plans for the day, and I became distraught as I learned the airline could not locate my suitcase. The people at the ticket counter politely told me I would have to board the plane “having faith” my luggage would somehow meet up with me on the other side. 

As I sat on the plane looking out at the beautiful California coast below me, I thought of how that particular flight was a metaphor for my life. I had to get onboard without knowing what kind of situation was waiting for me on the other side. Many times, God leads us down dimly lit paths where we are left merely guessing about what awaits us up ahead.

When I landed and eventually spotted my bag, I had never been so excited to see my suitcase before in my life. But what about all the times when the suitcase doesn’t arrive? What do we do when God shuts doors we thought He opened? How do we deal with the uncertainty and apprehension that comes when He opens doors we never knew existed? 

We have two choices—we can live in fear or we can live in faith. There is no other choice, there is no in between.

Excerpt taken from God Called a Girl. To order a copy click here.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Christmas, Fear, God, God Called a Girl | 2 Comments »

Ordinary Day, Extraordinary God

Friday, December 4th, 2009

happy

It only took a moment for God to change the world. Everyone else was busy going about his or her daily routine unaware Mary’s story had just been forever interrupted and life—as the whole world knew it—was about to change.

I imagine the scene this way (bear with me, I have a vivid imagination): Mary’s dad was at work, and her mom may have been out at the market. Her siblings were tending to their own tasks, and her fiancé Joseph was out earning a living. 

God watched from heaven that afternoon, as the stage He had been designing ever since the world began was finally set to His liking. He probably gave a slight nod as He turned to the angel Gabriel.

“Now,” He said softly. “But wait,” He added as Gabriel turned back to face Him. “Don’t scare her; she will do just as you ask. So be gentle.”

Gabriel nodded, as He looked glory in the face one last time before he set out to alter eternity. Mary had no idea a miracle was on the way—and she most certainly had no idea it was on its way to her womb.  

The Gospels tell us Mary was one who was favored and blessed. My first response was to grab a synonym finder to see just what that meant.  To be favored means: to be preferred, chosen, privileged, the favorite, affluent, elite and noble. To be blessed means: to be exalted, happy, glad, pleased and contented.  

Although those definitions seemed to fit perfectly with what Luke was saying, a few moments of rummaging through Mary’s past is enough to show most people did not see her that way. Mary was just a small town girl. Not only that, she was a poor girl from a despised small town. 

Mary was a nobody, yet she found favor and blessing with God. How many times do we look in the mirror and find a nobody staring back at us? We often limit what God can do with our lives, because we think our upbringing, our appearance, or our life is not a sufficient tool for the hands of God to use for His glory. 

If Mary really was a nobody, all it took for God to make her somebody was one miracle on a lonely day when she was just going about her daily business. God’s formula for success isn’t found in some stuffy rule book, His chosen are not normally found in palaces (although sometimes He chooses to take them there like He did Esther and David), and His favored are often those who have nothing to offer but one small life—the type of life nobody notices until God steps on the scene.

Yes, God called a girl once before and He will most certainly do it again.

Years later God is still trying to get the world’s attention. And so it is at you He looks with favor and blessing. He sees what you do not see—you are in the line of Mary. So as the world is passing you by without even a glance, God is setting the stage. 

“This girl is something,” He says to the angels in His company. “She is a real gem.” 

Jesus smiles and pauses, “She reminds me of My mother.”

Acts 17:26 says God appointed the very time and place each of us should live. As He mapped out the timeline for all of mankind, He penciled you in here and now for a reason. You have a divine purpose. God’s signature is on your life, and beneath it heaven can read the words, “favored and blessed.”

Before you rush to the mirror to see if I am telling the truth, let me warn you—most of the time human eyes see things differently than God does. Heavenly handwriting is not usually read on earthly ground, but it is God’s identifying mark on those whom He has chosen. He sees it, He knows it is there and He knows for what purpose it was written on your life. And as God was with Mary, so He will be with you. 

Excerpt taken from God Called a Girl. To purchase a copy click here.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Christmas, God, God Called a Girl | 3 Comments »

What Can One Girl Really Do?

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Woman Playing Guitar

In honor of the now quickly approaching Christmas holiday, I want to spend some time on the blog examining the life of one of the Christmas story’s most overlooked characters: Mary. I know we all know her name, but do we know who she really was?

Mary was one teenager who revolutionized society. She was a small town girl in her finest form. Had she lived in modern times, scholars say she wouldn’t have even been old enough to have a driver’s license. But God looked down from heaven and placed His favor on Mary. Before she probably even realized what had happened, she was infused with royal blood and brought us the King of the world.

Uninvited and unannounced an angel came to inform Mary of the great call God had on her life. And although I am no angel, and I cannot give you any specifics, I’m here to tell you the same thing. God has plans for your life—big plans. You are called to be a world changer, a life impactor, a girl who will make a difference for the kingdom of God.

Most of us though, live like God is not calling and the world does not need changing. We believe the lie that it’s too early to be used by God to make an impact. Because of this the world remains unchanged, and our lives become an endless cycle of going to school, doing homework, going to sports practice, going to youth group, eating junk food and not getting enough sleep. Somewhere in the midst of living we lose sight of what we are really living for. Every now and then we all need a reminder that there is more to life than the world we live in. This blog series is such a reminder.

On an afternoon, not that long ago, when I was going about the normal hustle bustle of life God took me to a story I knew well and He taught me to see it with different eyes. For the first time ever I didn’t see Mary as someone who had it all figured out, or someone who was super spiritual.

The impact of her story didn’t lie in Mary herself, but in the God who called her. It is the same with us. Because she was so much like us, there is a lot she can teach us. Yes, Mary had an incredible amount of faith—but it doesn’t mean she never doubted or got confused. 

Yes, Mary was blessed among women as the Bible tells us in Luke—but that doesn’t mean she never encountered disappointment or loneliness. Yes, Mary was loved and loved greatly—but that doesn’t mean there weren’t moments when she felt unloved. Mary had many moments like you and me where the path grew dim, life was hard and she felt lonely. Yet God loved her and used her in mighty ways.

When Mary was born there was no earthquake, no lightening bolt, no angels blaring trumpets announcing that the world would one day be changed by this simple girl. She was from Nazareth. If there was a nowhere, Nazareth was the middle of it.

Nothing good ever came from Nazareth (John 1:45-46)—well at least not until God had His way in the life of one teenager who lived there once. God delights in using uncommon heroes. In the end, it’s never about the one who is called. It is about the One doing the calling. No matter what anyone ever tells you, it’s not about you. But it is about God—and He wants to use you to help get that message out.

Be part of something that will live longer than you ever will. Mary’s impact was so great that the whole world still knows of her on a first name basis over 2,000 years later. Someone even played her in a box office blockbuster (The Passion of the Christ) in 2004.

Although God called many great men of faith to incredible tasks in the past, there came a time when a man would not do. So….God called a girl.  And that girl changed the world. The same God is calling again, and this time He’s calling you. Are you willing to step forward and answer that call? 

Excerpt taken from God Called a Girl. To order a copy click here.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Christmas, God, God Called a Girl | 1 Comment »