Mary responded, I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.
Luke 1:38
IT ALL STARTS WITH AN INVITATION…. Invitations to the prom, the Christmas party, New Year Eve’s party, your best’s friend’s wedding, and even your own wedding. Whether the question is ‘will you be my date’ or ‘will you dance with me’ or ‘will you marry me,’ things turn around upon your acceptance.
Just like a gentleman would ask you any of the above questions depending on where you are in life, so too does our God. God does not bulldoze himself into our lives. He invites us to the most important and irreplaceable role in this world; and everything depends on our answer.
Stasi Eldredge takes us through the life of Mary, a teenager who is betrothed to Joseph. The Angel comes to her and gives her the news that she is to have a child—not just any child—but the Son of God. Imagine with me how it was… First of all, the message is being delivered by an Angel—a heavenly being with wings and full of light. Secondly, Mary is a teenager who has not yet slept with her fiancé, Joseph, (or anyone else for that matter). And thirdly, this child she is going to have is the Son of God. How is it going to happen? This must have been a conversation to discuss with your family at length before saying yes, right? But not so with Mary. “Mary responded, I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true” (Luke 1:38).
Most of us have received invitations to do something for God. But, unlike Mary, we have and still continue to deliberate over our answer. We ask ourselves “Is this really God?” “What if I fail?” “I am too young or too old to go on a mission’s trip.” “What will my family, and friends think of me?” The debate within ourselves goes on and on until we convince ourselves not to do it. We hide in the words: “I have prayed about it and my heart is at peace.” Wait a minute! Your heart is at peace for refusing an invitation to do God’s will?
What would have happened if Mary said “No.” to the Angel? If she had told him that she was too young to be a mother or that she was afraid that if she got pregnant out of wedlock the elders of the village would throw her out of the village and stone her to death or Joseph will divorce me if he hears I am pregnant. All these were valid reasons to say “no.” But Mary chose to trust God and said “Yes!” to the most important and irreplaceable role of her life. She said “Yes” to become the MOTHER OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
My sister, you and I have an irreplaceable role to play in this world. God is waiting for us to accept that role so that He can use us for His glory. You and I have the power to influence our world for God. As our precious authors point out:
“There is much lifesaving that needs to be done yet, and someone needs to do it. Not in a pressure-filled, You’d better get to it kind of a way. Rather, an invitation. Your feminine heart is an invitation by your Creator. To what? To play an irreplaceable role in his Story. Isn’t that what your Lover wrote there? Some dream, some desire, something so core to who you are it almost hurts to think of it. The very longing is such a part of your being it’s scary even to give it a voice. You may not know the dream itself yet. But you know the longing to play an irreplaceable part. That is a good beginning.
Ezer is woven into the fabric of your feminine heart. You must live this out. What lives, what destinies are hanging on your “Yes” to God?”
My prayer is that we will all accept this invitation by our Creator in order to become who we are meant to be. Our callings may be different. Some of us are called to be mothers, wives, teachers, nurses, counselors, prayer warriors, leaders in the church or community, deacons, evangelists, preachers, caregivers, or whatever it is that you are called to do. The most important thing to do is accept this invitation with faith and trust that God will prepare and equip us for this role. Some roles may look like they are less important than others but in God’s eyes each role is equally important. All we have to do is say YES and watch how God will use us. WILL YOU ACCEPT HIS INVITATION?
In closing I would like to thank you so much for being with us for the past 12 weeks that we have been together on this journey. It has been challenging and transforming but I have enjoyed every moment. I hope your life is no longer the same because you now see yourself as CAPTIVATING.
I would love you to join us for the new study so we can take this journey even further with Lisa Bevere’s new book GIRLS WITH SWORDS.
LET’S PRAY:
Father, thank You so much for taking us through this Bible study. You have taught us so many things throughout these 12 weeks and our lives have been transformed because we know how much You love us and how much You want us to know that we are Captivating and Irreplaceable. May we live what we studied and be doers of Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
YOUR ASSIGNMENT:
What is the role that God wants you to play and you have been putting off?
Be Blessed,
Jackie
