Rights? Or Trust?

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 1:26-38 ESV

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent

from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth,

27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,

 of the descendants of David;

and the virgin’s name was Mary.

 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Hail, favored one!

 The Lord is with you.”

29 But she was greatly troubled at this statement,

 and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.

 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary;

 for you have found favor with God.

 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb,

 and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High;

 and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever;

and His kingdom will have no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel,

 “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered and said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

 and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;

and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.

36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth

 has also conceived a son in her old age;

 and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.

37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord;

be it done to me according to your word.”

And the angel departed from her.

_______________________________

 

Be willing to give up your rights.

What are your rights?

What do you think you deserve?

This young woman isn’t thinking of her rights.

 She is not thinking of “self.”

Her eyes are fixed upon her Lord and she trusts Him.

Greater still, she loves Him and desires only to serve Him

 in absolute, voluntary obedience.

She has bound herself to Him as His.

 

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

Will you think about what God’s Word says?

 Will you think of it as coming from His heart of love?

 Mary’s heart bowed in such reverence and love for the Lord

her only thought was to serve Him and Him alone.

 Because I know that she trusted Him.

 She trusted His heart.

 She trusted His ways.

She trusted His wisdom.

She trusted His power to protect and provide for her

no matter what anyone would think of her.

She trusted His love for her.

She trusted in Him as God.

God Almighty.

Maker of Heaven and Earth.

Ruler of All. Perfect in all ways.

Perfect in love and perfect in character.

Lover of her soul.

She could believe that He is God

and that He lives up to every aspect of His character.

Every day, all day.

Yesterday, today, and forever.

She believed that He loved her

and created her for a purpose.

His purpose was her purpose.

Read Psalm 139:13-16 today

and contemplate God’s purposes for your life.

Psalm 139:13-16

13 For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

 Affirm God’s love in your heart.

His deep, everlasting, abiding love for you.

Choose to believe it is true.

Choose to believe His Word about you —

not what anyone else has to say.

Affirm that His plans for you are wonderful,

loving, and purposeful…

to prosper you and to give you a future and a hope.

 

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 1 and recite it 3 times.

Take it with you throughout the day.

 

37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord;

be it done to me according to your word.”

And the angel departed from her.

 

PRAYER

Gracious God, help me to see how much you love me

 in Jesus Christ. Help me to live in that love

and serve you with my whole heart.

_______________________________

In His hands for His glory,

Laurie