Let’s Learn from Mary

Mary accepted, carried and birthed her purpose in total obedience and faith. Ours won’t be different.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of all kings, our Savior, our Messiah is the greatest representation of obedience. He was obedient until death for our sake and we remain forever grateful.

However, as I study  Luke chapter 1 – 2, I saw someone else whose obedience was phenomenal and one we can also emulate. That person is Mary, the very mother of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Mary’s purpose was already foretold years ago before it’s fulfillment by Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 7:14, “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” This prophecy was fulfilled in Luke 2: 6 – 7, “And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them.”

1. ACCEPT YOUR PURPOSE

The above Bible verse tells us that before, she was able to carry this child and birth him, she had to get pregnant first. Angel Gabriel gave her this news in Luke 1: 26 – 37. And Mary’s response is my first key point in this article, She ACCEPTED her purpose. Luke 1: 38 (CSB), “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” 

Now, your purpose might not have been written word for word in the Bible like that of Mary but let me remind you of Jeremiah 1: 5, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

Like Mary, before, we were born our purpose has been laid out and we have been chosen by God for a particular purpose. But remember, we have something called free will and God will never force you into anything. If Mary didn’t accept or said something like, “May it NOT be done to me according to your word because I am scared or I have other plans for my life”, God would have found someone else to accept, carry and birth his purpose. If you do not quickly grab your purpose and stop giving flimsy excuses, someone else will be chosen.

CARRY YOUR PURPOSE

Now, if you have decided to accept your purpose and live in it. Be ready to be UNCOMFORTABLE for a period of time and push forward in faith regardless. 

I once saw this quote somewhere, “Your comfort zone will destroy your purpose” and I also have this as my screensaver right now, “You can’t have change and comfort simultaneously – Steven Furtick.” It’s not possible, you have got to pick one. While you are carrying your purpose and feeding it with the word of God, there are going to be moments you will feel like quitting because the end of that 9 months just seems so far away. But you must remember that the devil does not want you to accept that purpose, but since you have accepted it, he is also not quitting. He will do everything possible, so you will not carry it successfully and birth it. He will do everything possible for you to get a miscarriage because that purpose you are carrying is gonna blow the world away. But you must persevere and continue in faith even when things don’t make sense. 

BIRTH YOUR PURPOSE

God is more concerned about your obedience and faith than your comfort. As I study Luke chapter 2, I wondered, “Why was a census necessary at the time when Mary was heavily pregnant and about to give birth? Or Why did God plan all these towards that period? God is all-powerful and he could have planned this pregnancy and birth at a comfortable time for Mary but he didn’t. Why? I really don’t know. But what I know is, Mary is about to birth something that is bigger than her and beyond her imagination and comfort zone is a no-no. Also, remember that everything happens for a reason and one was to fulfill the prophecy by Prophet Micah in Micah 5: 2, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.”  This was also fulfilled in Luke 2: 4 – 5, “And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.” Jesus Christ was to be born in Bethlehem and nothing was going to stop that even if it means discomfort for Mary.

Everything that happens to you, the good, bad, ugly, uncomfortable, all come together for a greater good. Realize that when the time draws near for you to birth your purpose, more tests are going to come and more faith is going to be needed.

Mary accepted, carried and birthed her purpose in total obedience and faith.

I have never been pregnant but I can try to imagine how uncomfortable Mary was during this journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem because she’s almost due to give birth. Yet, she traveled on maybe a donkey or camel or by foot, not by a Mercedez -Benz, Range Rover, or Airplane.  I did a little research and it is said that from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 100 miles and would take about 4 – 5 days on foot. For an average person who is not pregnant, this is still very stressful. Yet Mary traveled despite the discomfort in obedience and faith. Now, getting to her destination, there’s no room and she had to give birth in a manger. The good news is, Mary finally birthed her purpose. The awaited Messiah was born. The Savior was born. Hallelujah!

Your purpose won’t be birthed until you get up in all possible discomfort and out of your comfort zone and embark on an obedience journey with God in faith. At a destination, you might have to pause to birth your purpose. However, this is not the end of your journey.  At the right time, you will have to continue on that journey like Mary and nurse that purpose until it grows and begin to bear good fruits ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

Mary accepted, carried and birthed her purpose in TOTAL OBEDIENCE & FAITH. There’s no way yours and mine are going be different. Because the key to birthing your purpose lies in total obedience, faith and surrendering to God. And not only do you get a great reward here on earth, bigger and better rewards await you in heaven. 

Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. – Deuteronomy 5: 33 (NIV)

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later – Romans 8: 18 (NLT)

I’ll suggest you start with ACCEPTING that purpose of God for you humbly and obediently.

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God bless

Eternally Loved

Esther Ademiju