“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father, David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom, there will be no end.” Luke 1:31-33
Has God ever lead you to places? Did you go willingly, or did you hesitate? Mary would go on many journeys as she being a bondservant to the Lord. Wherever He led, she would follow. God had a plan for His Son, and that also meant that Joseph and Mary would not live ordinary lives.
When we choose to be bondservants of God, our lives will never be the same again. We live our lives in the plans and purposes of God, our Master. According to Luke 2:1-7, what do you find about these new places on the journey?
Mary gave birth to our King in a stable. What a strange place for God to have King Jesus be born in. What was Mary’s response to the shepherd’s according to Luke 2:19? She pondered everything in her heart. Do you ponder on the things that God tells you?
What does pondering mean? It means Mary brought them together and joined them with other thoughts so she could carefully compare and reflect on all they mean. Do you spend time doing this? Mary was learning what it meant to be a faithful bondservant to God.
Simeon spoke this to Joseph and Mary when they presented Jesus to the Lord.
“There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered[b] the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said:
Now, Master,
You can dismiss Your slave in peace,
as You promised.
For my eyes have seen Your salvation.
You have prepared it
in the presence of all peoples— a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and glory to Your people Israel.
His father and mother[d] were amazed at what was being said about Him. Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed— And a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
How did Joseph and Mary respond to this? What word was spoken specifically to Mary?
God led them to Bethlehem and Egypt. They traveled where God led them. They were bondservants to God. Being a bondservant one has to be flexible in all the places God takes them. In all the ways God changes those places. It means trusting God in the paths He leads.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for guide us in your paths. I pray that we will be willing to trust and follow you wherever you lead us.
In Jesus Name
Amen
