If you have been following me this year, you have been going through the alphabet with me. I call it Alphabet Soup. The first post of 2017 was on the letter A. You can read it here.
My math tells me that I could post every other week and that would get me to the letter Z by the end of the year. Well…I am only at U! Pressure!!!
No worries though. I am excited to finish this series so I can begin to look ahead to 2018.
And without further delay…
The Word – Underestimate
The Worth – The Christmas story can be found in Matthew and Luke. And it was in Luke’s writing that the inspiration for ‘underestimate’ hit me. Here is Luke 1:26-38:
“26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be calledb the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37For no word from God will ever fail.” 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”
Dwell on this angelic visit for a minute. An angel comes to speak to Mary. Mary is probably around 15 years old. She has never had sex. She is also engaged. The angel tells her that God’s son will be born of her. I personally cannot fathom what types of thoughts were racing around in Mary’s brain.
I do know one thing though, Mary underestimated God. How do I know?
Let’s look at two verses.
Verse 29, “Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.”
Verse 34, “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
Mary was questioning the purpose of God (v. 29) and the ability of God (v. 34).
Have you and I ever underestimated God?
Why is God doing this or that?
Why isn’t God moving?
Will you ever hurry up, God?
Why me?
And the list could continue.
We know the rest of the story. Mary did not, however. She questioned and the angel replied. Something happened in verses 35-37. And then we get to verse 38.
Mary comes around. She may still have doubts but her faith is bigger than her fear.
The Work – We need to come around like Mary.
I don’t always see the why, when, or how of God. And that is cause to be joyful.
I am not God! I do not have to know everything!
Be encouraged that God really does have everything under control. There is a current of Godliness that continually flows. It is an ever-moving river.
I say we jump in that river and enjoy God and what He is doing today!
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