A virgin in the family way by the Spirit of God, with the Son of God; it makes no earthly sense except to those who say, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to Your word.” Those who speak such words know something of what they will exact—humility and courage. But exacted how? They leave it to God. It must be so, for should the how and wherefore be known at once, humility surely would depart and courage would follow it out. Humility is hedged by God’s omniscience, and courage is captive by God’s omnipresence.
Hedged and captive, still it was not easy for Mary to be rejected in her hometown, nor Jesus in His; for Mary to travel on a donkey to Bethlehem in her last days of expectation, nor Jesus to Jerusalem in His; for Mary at the end of her time to deliver the Son of God in an earthen stable, nor for the Son of God at the end of His time to be delivered up on a wooden cross; for Mary to place Him in a feeding trough, nor for Jesus to become the bread of life given for the world.
Yet in that stable and from that trough, what did His infant eyes see when He first looked into Mary’s? He beheld His maidservant and deliverer, humble and courageous. The family likeness was unmistakable! He who came to do the will of God, is conceived in those who would serve Him. He who came to deliver sinners into salvation, is conceived in those who would offer Him to the unsaved. He who came, saying, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God,” is conceived in those who have said, “Behold Your maidservant.” Speak so today, and bear forth Immanuel.
Author: Carloyn Roehrig
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment