1) What's the basic story? Mary is visited by an angel and her first reaction recorded was startled. The angel told that that she would become pregnant and have a son, but not just any old son but one who would be the son of God and would save the people. She wonders how this could be because she was a virgin, but the angel reassures her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her.
What's the significance? She trusts in God because she knows that she’s a virgin and it would be impossible for her to have a child. But God does the impossible and can perform miracles! He kept his promise and Mary does become pregnant.
How does this apply to me? Ephesians 3:20 says With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. Mary as a young servant girl would have never thought that God could have used her, but he does. God does more in us and for us than we can ever imagine, and if we trust God he will do the impossible for us! Sometimes we can feel inadequate, like maybe God can do nothing with us, or the question of why did God choose us? Mary is a young servant girl, who probably had a standard life up til then. but she goes onto to be the mother of the amazing guy ever, the one who saved everyone by dying for their sins. And this guy is half Mary - gotta be something good about Mary!
2) What's the basic story? Joseph knew that the punishment for adultery would have been death, probably by stoning Mary to death. They were only engaged but that was as serious as being married, they'd have to break up via divorce and to have sex before marriage was adultery. Although we know she didn’t commit adultery, there wasn’t any births born by the holy spirit, and people would have assumed she was lying.
What's the significance? She was put into a potentially life-threatening position and she had to trust God that he would protect her and not stone her, and her unborn child as well.
How does this apply to me? When we’re put into bad situations, whether it’s because of something we’ve done, or something that is out of our control, we need to trust God. He has an amazing plan for each and every one of us, and his timings are perfect. The bad situation we may be in, may result in a stronger faith in God, and something better coming out of it.
3) What's the basic story? The wise men don’t go and tell Herod where Jesus is, and Herod is angry. An angel of the Lord tells Mary and Joseph to Egypt to hide, as Herod wants to kill Jesus. They left during the night, and Herod makes an order to kill all baby boys in Bethlehem. Later on, they are called to go back to Bethlehem because Herod had died.
What's the significance?If they had stayed any longer in Bethlehem, the baby would have been killed as a result of Herod’s orders. But they are called to go elsewhere for their own and the child’s safety and they do it willingly in the middle of the night as she trusts God! She also returns when God tells her to, even when she is going back to the place where they wanted to kill her child, because God tells her that it is safe!
How does this apply to me? Like Mary and Joseph were in danger but trusted in God, God helped them out of danger. God keeps us from danger and when we are in danger, God helps us. But we need to trust in him that he will help us and not abandon us. When we're called to do something, or go somewhere, we need to go immediately! Going to a new place like a new job, or university or on a mission is scary, it's out of our own familiarities and comfort zone. But God never leaves or abandons us. He'll always be there.
When we trust God like Mary does, he can do amazing things. He can do the impossible, he can help us out of bad circumstances and into better ones and he can keep us out of danger. It’s easy to try and figure our own way and trust in ourselves or in other people. But like Mary had her eyes fixed on God and she trusted in God, we need to as well.
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