Christmas Revelations Part One

I grew up in church, so I've heard the same Christmas story for at least the past 20 years of my life. This year, I heard a little something different.

"The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end." -Luke 1:28-33

At this point, I can just imagine Mary taking a huge breath as she tries to swallow what she just heard. How strange it must have been for an angel to appear to her and say, "Oh, by the way, you're favored! Good job, Mary! Now, you're pregnant with God's son. I know you are going to get married and all, but it will all work out." I mean, there are so many things about that which should truly have shaken her.

1) An angel just appeared to her and told her something that literally just rocked her world and would change her life forever2) Mary now had to go tell her fiance that she was pregnant3) Not only does she have to tell him that she's pregnant, but she's pregnant with God's son

I think this kind of news would have thrown any of us for a loop...but not Mary.

Truly the best part about all this is is her final response.

''How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God...For no word from God will ever fail.' 'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.' Then the angel left her." -Luke 1:34-35, 36-38

Think about it, how awesome is it that this girl's life had literally just been turned upside down, and instead of running away she chooses to believe exactly what the angel said and trust in God  Wow, what a testimony!

I don't know about you, but sometimes I have a hard time accepting things God says to me. Sometimes he tells me things that I don't want to hear, or sometimes he allows things in my life to happen that don't make sense or that hurt me or throw my life on it's side. He will even keep me places that don't make any sense or put desires in my heart for my life that confuse me to pieces.  Some of these things are literally life altering, or they can just FEEL life altering and a huge deal (but they really aren't).  I am convinced that how one responds to situations such as these says SO much about who you are and about your faith in God. Mary must have had a crazy amount of faith in order to have responded that way, and I think she's so awesome for it.

It really challenges me to have so much faith and trust in God, that when he throws a curve ball and wants to do something big in my life (even if it's the scariest thing in the world) to respond just like Mary.

"'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.'"  -Luke 1:38