Mary, Did You Know?

My claim to fame....if it weren't for me -- my children wouldn't be. And God needed a vessel -- one He favored above ALL women -- to be the Mother of Jesus. He chose Mary to BE the First Lady of our Faith. She was found faithful. And what faith she had! She was the first to believe in Jesus as her Savior and Lord -- while she still carried Him in her womb.

This photo is one of my Christmas favorites. It brings Mary right to where we are. It helps us to know she was one of us. She was a woman with real emotions, real challenges, and real love for her baby boy. "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19) "Ponder" is a great word and a great idea for us, too! Christmas should be all about "pondering". Mary treasured the events of Jesus' birth. She thought deeply about all that took place. She would need to remember all that God had done, in order to trust what God would allow when Jesus grew to manhood. Can you just imagine the bedtime stories she told her boy?

My all-time favorite Christmas song is Mark Lowery’s “Mary Did You Know?” for many reasons. It momentarily shows Mary more than the lovely woman in blue and white clothing, radiant face, and a halo affixed perfectly above her head. She really was one of us. Like us, she held her baby, she cared for him, she thought about his future -- just like we do. I relate to her.

Mark wrote the lyrics in 1984 in response to his Pastor’s request to write the script for their church's Christmas production. Twelve years later, Buddy Greene put the script to music. When Mark was asked to write the script, little did he realize that little "seed" would bring about an abundant harvest. That script was one of those Jeremiah 29:11 moments “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Mark had no idea of the anointing of the Holy Spirit that was on him for that significant moment in time.

What do you think? DID MARY KNOW that He was her Creator, that He would walk on water, that He would heal the blind man, that He would raise the dead? Did she know that when she kissed her little baby boy that she was kissing the face of God?

We'll ask her that question one day, but one thing's for sure, she was the vessel God chose to bear His Son, and I believe she was chosen because He knew she would be the role model, the caregiver, the teacher/trainer, the spiritual director, and the guardian that caused her son to “grow in wisdom and stature with God and man" (Luke 2:52). I believe she recognized that her boy's talents would "take Him places" and that He would do great and mighty things, because she was "tight with God" and she held His promises close to her heart.

The question for us is "Do we believe as Mary did?" What God's Word says about Jesus is true. And her example for being that role model, caregiver, teacher/trainer, spiritual director and guardian, is one we should follow in raising our children and grandchildren to "grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man".

I love this beautiful song, and this amazing rendition by Pentatonix. I share it as a gift for you to realize that Mary's faith and reality is our faith and reality, too. "This little child that Mary delivered, delivered her and us!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE

Time to Register for Cross Training

On New Year's Day, I heard this said:: "This is going to be your best year ever, but keep in mind, though you may be going in with a clean slate, you're still taking some of the "old" in with you. You still take YOU!"

That's a wake-up call, isn't it? It's awe-inspiring to think that the old stuff -- the negative circumstances, the mistakes and failures, the overwhelming and the underwhelming situations are over with, because we think "2017 is going to be different. Good things are coming my way this year! 2017 is going to be MY greatest year EVER!" But, once again, what has changed in you AND me, that guarantees a better year?

Bottom line...we probably need to undergo some tweaking with our attitudes, our outlooks, our overspending, our carelessness, our tempers, our giving (or the lack thereof), and our heartfelt appreciation for how blessed we really are.

The way for the most guaranteed-for-success-outcome, is to lean into the ONE who will make the most significant difference in our 2017. Rather than God being simply a casual acquaintance to us and only when we need Him that we call on Him, we should make Him the CENTER of everything...our finances, our relationships, our health, our character, and our devotion. To be fully devoted followers of Christ, makes the difference. How often do we just "sprinkle" a little Jesus into our day by a mere glance at Him. But when we understand that He is the difference maker in everything about our lives. When it really dawns on us that He lives inside us and, when we rely on Him for the best decisions to make, the kindest attitude to others, the character that does the right thing when no one is looking, and seriously consider our actions by submitting our emotions to Him, saying "I'm not responding that way any more.

Luke 2:52 says that the young Jesus "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Now that's what I'm talking about. Though we leave the past mistakes and all the negatives in the past, because we bring ME, MYSELF and I into the new year, wouldn't it be a great idea to determine that "THIS YEAR, I will do some CROSS TRAINING and grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man." We do that -- not just by sprinkling a little Jesus on our lives....but all out making Him the Lord of our lives and purposing to surrender our "old" selves to Him, obey Him and His Word, and live with all out gusto of being, not sprinkled, but FLOODED with the Great I AM!!!

Mary, Did You Know?

She's the First Lady of the Faith -- Mary, the Mother of Jesus. She was always found faithful. And what faith she had!  She was the first to believe in Jesus as her Savior and Lord -- while she carried Him in her womb.

In 1984 Mark Lowery wrote the lyrics to, “Mary Did You Know?” – in response to his Pastor’s request to write the script for their Christmas production. Not until 12 years later did Buddy Greene put the script to music. The play was one of those "Jeremiah 29:11" moments “For I know the plans I have for you – plans to prosper you – to give you hope and a future.” Little did Mark realize the anointing of the Holy Spirit that was on him for that significant moment in time. BTW -- "Mary, Did You Know?" is one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs for so many reasons. It  shows Mary more than the lovely woman in blue and white clothing, radiant face, and a halo affixed perfectly above her head. This song made her one of us -- who hold our babies and think about their future.

And, what do you think? DID MARY KNOW? That He was her Creator, that He would walk on water, that He would heal the blind man, that He would raise the dead? Did she know that when she kissed her little baby boy that she was kissing the face of God?  I believe she did know, and I believe not only was she the vessel God chose to bear His Son, but I believe she was chosen because He knew she would be the role model, the caregiver, the trainer, the spiritual director, the guardian that her son “grew in wisdom and stature" from, after all, she sure knew scripture. Her magnificat (her song) was full of scripture. I believe she recognized that her boy's talents and abilities would "take Him places" and that He would do amazing things.  She was pretty tight with God and she held His promises closes to her heart.  She was there, and she could verify Gabriel's words to her "Nothing shall be impossible with God."

The question for us is "Do we believe as Mary did?" What God's Word says about Jesus is true. I love this beautiful song, and this amazing rendition by Pentonix. I share it as a gift for you to realize that Mary's faith and reality is our faith and reality, too. "This little child that Mary delivered, delivered her and us!"

http://faithtap.com/2089/pentatonix-mary-did-you-know/