38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 1
Mary has heard everything the angel Gabriel has said to her. Mary could have responded in a few different ways. She could have rejected the angel’s message to her folly. She could have responded half-heartedly without really believing the message, again to her folly.
But Mary chose well. She responded in humble submission and belief. Mary was now ready to serve God and follow His plan. The mission she accepted would be one of disgrace and shame, but also of grace and glory!
Mary is worthy of our admiration and respect. We do well to honor her as the mother of our Lord, but this honor pales in comparison to the honor we give to Christ. The New Testament clearly reveals to us that the early believers never worshiped Mary. She never held a prominent place in the Scriptures apart from the Christmas narratives.
God is sovereign over the course of history. He acts in mighty, and many times, unexpected ways as He brings His plan of salvation to fruition. He uses great men and women like John the Baptist and Mary along the way. We would do well to respect those men and women who have been fully devoted to Him as servants of the Lord.
As we meditate on Christmas, let us remember to put the emphasis where it belongs, on our amazing God! Jesus is the reason there is a gospel of good news in the first place. He deserves all of our admiration, love, obedience, and submission.
Christmas reminds us that there can be no rival to Jesus. He is greater than everything else in our lives. Today, can you say, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to Your word?”
Today's Devotional was contributed by: Pastor Wayne Sullivan.
(If you are associated with Ephesus Baptist Church and would like to contribute a devotional to our blog, then send us a devotional of 350 words or less to pastor.ephesusnc@gmail.com)
Read more of our devotions and other articles at our Pastor's Blog!
Christmas = No Rivals!
Christmas = No Rivals!
Luke 1:38
38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 1
Mary has heard everything the angel Gabriel has said to her. Mary could have responded in a few different ways. She could have rejected the angel’s message to her folly. She could have responded half-heartedly without really believing the message, again to her folly.
But Mary chose well. She responded in humble submission and belief. Mary was now ready to serve God and follow His plan. The mission she accepted would be one of disgrace and shame, but also of grace and glory!
Mary is worthy of our admiration and respect. We do well to honor her as the mother of our Lord, but this honor pales in comparison to the honor we give to Christ. The New Testament clearly reveals to us that the early believers never worshiped Mary. She never held a prominent place in the Scriptures apart from the Christmas narratives.
God is sovereign over the course of history. He acts in mighty, and many times, unexpected ways as He brings His plan of salvation to fruition. He uses great men and women like John the Baptist and Mary along the way. We would do well to respect those men and women who have been fully devoted to Him as servants of the Lord.
As we meditate on Christmas, let us remember to put the emphasis where it belongs, on our amazing God! Jesus is the reason there is a gospel of good news in the first place. He deserves all of our admiration, love, obedience, and submission.
Christmas reminds us that there can be no rival to Jesus. He is greater than everything else in our lives. Today, can you say, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to Your word?”
Today's Devotional was contributed by: Pastor Wayne Sullivan.
(If you are associated with Ephesus Baptist Church and would like to contribute a devotional to our blog, then send us a devotional of 350 words or less to pastor.ephesusnc@gmail.com)
Read more of our devotions and other articles at our Pastor's Blog!
If you would like to be added to our email list, contact us at office.ephesusnc@gmail.com.
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 1:38.