MARY: From Comfort to Courage

We have been having a great time on Wednesday nights in the MOMS TO MOMS Bible Study. If you find you are needing connection (fellowship) and some Jesus (without homework), come join us! Childcare provided.

But I am off-topic. We are working our way through this study - "Twelve Women of the Bible: Life-Changing Stories For Women Today". This last week, we watched our video speaker talk on Mary, the Mother of Jesus. And some of the things she said continued to resonate with me throughout the week.

First of all, Mary is perhaps the most notable woman in history. But she was a simple teenager in a culture that did not value women as equals. She was ordinary, but she was called to an extraordinary task. The Bible is filled with examples of people who are strikingly plain, or even, like Moses with his simple speech or even perhaps speech impediment, challenged in some way...but it is not our ability God is after, it is truly our availability.

How could Mary have fathomed what God was asking of her? Maybe her youth was a blessing. But what she did know, would ask her to walk an impossibly difficult road. A young unmarried woman in first-century Palestine...asking her parents, her fiance, her small town to believe she carried the Messiah. Yeah. That's gonna fly.

But she didn't concern herself with that. She replied "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

She gave herself over to God's plan for her life, trusting Him for the outcome. Trusting His goodness in the midst of what she would face. What courage!

This is the kind of courage that acts despite consequences, pain, hurt, anger, or fear.

How often do we let life happen to us instead of walking into courage? Because courage is hard. Courage is not truly the absence of fear. It is acting in spite of fear.

And when God calls us to great things, He may very well call us to step out of comfort, to leave those places we feel safe, and step into a courageous faith. This kind of "may it be" courage may cause you to doubt your God-given abilities, maybe look for an easy way out, or even doubt the author of the call.

We may very well be misunderstood, but God is our truth and freedom. And He walks with us every step of the way. When it comes to saying "yes" or turning away from that "may it be" courage, may we remember that He goes before us and hems us in behind. Scripture promises us this.

Have you had such a time when you told God "may it be" and yielded a new part of your heart, future, or life to His will? What was the outcome?