How Do Our Yeses Measure Up to Mary’s?

A friend came over to receive some items for a ministry position that she had said YES to. We talked about how a YES means uncertainty yet a beautiful and dramatical inward change when that YES comes out of our hearts and we say it out loud! When we say YES, suddenly we start to dig deeper into God’s Word for His wisdom. We cozy up to Him and we give Him so much more intentional attention. Yesterday my blog focused on Mary and what her YES to Gabriel meant from that point forward. Mary’s YES changed her life. We all know that her YES and our YES, in most instances, is the beginning of ginormous changes to our lives -- our schedules, our time, our energy, our thought processes and our commitment. Personally, I sense some changes are coming to my life. I haven’t been visited by an angel bearing world-changing news, but that doesn’t mean that God isn’t continually asking us to say “Yes” to Him — in big and small ways throughout our lives. I am saying YES even though I have no idea what’s going on in my life, but God does. So, I trust in His ways that are so much higher than mine!” I’ve been spurred on to focus more on the simplistic walk of Christ – to love earnestly, live modestly, and be available at a moment’s notice to go and do and be. I sense that I can do “simple lifestyle-living” and accomplish so much more. There are plenty of unknowns plus life-altering times ahead, but I know when saying YES to God, He is with me every step of the way. Because of Mary’s YES, she became the mother of Jesus. Though her ordinary life was made sacred by way of an invitation that she affirmed, she was still like any mother. She was still needed by her baby boy in the middle of the night. She probably chased the toddler Jesus as He scurried about and like any of us, she had the hopes of a nap soon to come. I've been there -- haven't you?. She realized that her life was no longer her own. Everything about that precious baby consumed her, like our babies consume us. The difference is that Mary’s attention turned toward the child who was Jesus. Back to that beloved song, "Mary Did You Know?" It makes us wonder, if she had known what was up ahead for her and her baby boy, would she still have said YES. In our lives, we don't know what lies ahead either. But, God does – He Who loves us beyond description. And, like Mary did, when we are willing to resign our thoughts to His Master plan, we can rest assured His perfect will is activated for our lives. When we say YES to God, He invites us to do what is in our capacity to do. Otherwise, He wouldn't have asked. I've learned times over that "where He guides, He provides". Most importantly, He invites us to see our ordinary roles as sacred. The sacredness of dependence on God for His grace and mercy to be with us in times of decision-making, drawing upon His wisdom to guide us, daily being full of the Fruit of the Spirit, and all the while -- being a light to those God calls us to encourage and support. Mary's YES -- my YES. I'm there -- how about you?