Dwell & Delight in the Word Sample

TAKING OUR STUDY DEEPER:

“Luke explained that he undertook this task (compiling this account) so that you may know the exact truth about the life of Jesus—the events and His teaching. Luke was not suggesting that the other gospels had been deficient in any way. His objective was comprehensive precision. Luke related that he had investigated everything carefully, that is, he had gone back to the beginning, he had checked the sources, and perhaps he even consulted with the eyewitnesses. What Luke recorded in the birth narratives is unique to his gospel, information that only those who were there would know. Luke may have spoken to Jesus’ immediate family (even Mary herself). The detailed content of the birth narratives makes this possibility plausible.”

A NOTE OF ENCOURAGMENT
From Erica Wiggenhorn:

Despite her unimpressive background, Mary was a girl of great faith and courage. Even with these characteristics, she still felt afraid. It’s important to reflect on the fact that finding favor with God doesn’t always equate to the absence of fear. It usually means He’s calling us to the unexplainable, to something impossible apart from His power. To something beyond anything we could think, ask, imagine, or dare hope for in our lives—and that means it’s going to be a little scary, and definitely outside our comfort zone or current skill set. I’d say a virgin birth falls into those categories, wouldn’t you? Who could she go to talk to about this? Well, God in His great mercy answers Mary’s question . . . Go to your cousin Elizabeth. Talk to her. She will believe you. And when you begin to doubt yourself, Mary, the baby inside Elizabeth’s womb will remind you what I have told you.

I often wonder why God chose Mary. She probably wasn’t educated. She didn’t come from a priestly family. She wasn’t part of the Jewish aristocracy so Jesus could get the best Hebrew education possible. We aren’t told of any particular skills or giftedness she had. All we’re told is that she was willing to submit to God’s plan for her life, no matter how crazy or out of the box it sounded. Pregnant without being married? By God? People would assume she had committed adultery or been defiled by a Gentile merchant or Roman soldier. She would be a disgrace among her people. I think the answer is depicted in her willingness to obey: God’s will is my will. Are you willing to surrender to God like that? Do you truly believe in your heart that God’s plans for your life are better than anything you have planned for yourself? Take some time right now and write out a prayer to the Lord where you’re struggling.

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