Tuesday, December 15, 2020

 

It's shopping time for many ; Christmas in our culture and time normally centers around Santa, the Christmas trees, the colorful lights, gifts and exchange of gifts, fun and food, and family gatherings. For some it is a getaway time from normal life. There are yet those who are very lonely and depressed too; those without food, no gifts, no homes; and with none to practically pour out the love of God on them.

I would like to bring our thoughts to Mary (Luke 1:26 - 38) the mother of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. ( Read this portion of scripture to your kids and grandkids. In so doing, you are planting a seed in their hearts and minds.)
Mary's background wasn't that great - poor, young, ordinary, a hard working peasant, not gone to college and probably not even to school; from a little known village called Nazareth in Galilee. She was engaged to be married at her young age.
Eastern cultures are different and I am sure that life couldn't have been the best for her. Life isn't comfortable; 'hardship' and 'neglect' could have been her closest companions (apart from her relationship with Yahweh).
But here are some noteworthy things about Mary:
1. She was brought up in the fear of Yahweh, and she knew the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah. She was taught from the Scriptures.
2. She spent time at the synagogue and was a worshipper of God.
3. She was a virgin; no flirting around, and kept her body as the 'Temple of Yahweh', pure and holy.
4. She must have had simple pure faith in God. When the angel appeared to her, she submitted freely to the will of God.
Much more can be said but let me take us closer to some thoughts:
Couldn't God have chosen a princess of royal blood for His eternal purpose ?
Couldn't God have chosen someone from a wealthy affluent family of that time ?
Couldn't God have chosen some lady who was so highly educated, and popular ?
Couldn't God have given Mary a better place to birth her baby ?
He could have ! But He chose the weak things, the things considered foolish/silly in human wisdom to unfold His plan for the redemption of mankind.
Wasn't it a silly idea to choose uneducated smelly fishermen to be the messengers of God to the world ? That's how the world thinks!
And haven't these men made the wise to look stupid/foolish ? Have they not influenced the world in making it a better place; have they not influenced the character and destiny of humanity ? Haven't they been pointers to Eternal Life, salvation through Jesus Christ ? The wisdom of the wise couldn't do that, neither the strength of the mighty !
Don't be disappointed because of your status, or lack of education or beauty, or power, or of your family or financial background. God has a plan for you and if you are obedient God will accomplish that which concerns you and your life. Don't give up. His ways are different and much higher than man's ways. God did have a plan for this young lady, Mary. God did have a plan for fishermen like Peter, John, Andrew, James and the others.
In closing I would like to suggest; read 1 Corinthians 1: 27 -28.
" Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important." (NLT)
God bless you all. Take care and be safe.
Pastor O.M. Panicker
#hopeless