Savor The Wonder - Day 12
Can you really have Christmas without any cookies? I would argue that they go hand in hand. Santa comes down the chimney looking for them. Magazines are filled with pages of recipes for the perfect version of your favorite cookie. There are cookie exchanges, baking days, and endless fanfare centered around them. Whether you slice and bake, or make from scratch they are bound to be part of the plan. A tiny but mighty detail in the hoopla that creates “Christmas.” It wouldn’t be Christmas without the traditional cookies.
There may not be any cookies in the Christmas Story but we can agree there may not have been a story without Mary. Mary was a young girl at the time the angel visited her to give her the news that she was chosen to be the mother of The Savior. There is nothing written that indicates she was leading a life that anyone would consider remarkable. She wasn’t a queen or of noble lineage. It seems as if she was a “regular” girl preparing for a rather “regular” life with her husband-to-be, Joseph. However, God saw something more and chose to use her in a mighty way. Her life story became part of the story of Jesus. A person that society may have overlooked, was chosen for the task of raising Jesus. We know Mary was obedient with a true servant’s heart. Maybe those attributes did not make her famous at the time, but they were worth everything in God’s eyes.
We may feel like we are insignificant, our lives are unremarkable. I would argue that is when we look at ourselves with only our eyes. Or it is a lie that is planted by the one who doesn’t want you to ever see yourself as God does. Satan is afraid for you to tap into the purpose and plan for your life. For you to see your home as a field of ministry. For you to realize how your one “small thing” can make an impact for the Kingdom of God in a big way. That if you were to see yourself as highly favored, you would begin to build limitless faith.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
Let’s make room for God to prepare and stretch our faith as he no doubt did for Mary. Or maybe we need him to lead us to the stable for rest. A chance for him to fill our hearts with contentment and renew our strength. Or maybe we need to take time to remember how great and good our God is. Filling us with expectation, knowing he can lead us to places far beyond our worldly minds. Laying down our doubts, perceived shortcomings, anxieties, and hardships. As we magnify and praise his name, as Mary did, let him fill our hearts with the hope his birth brings. Knowing that he sees us and hears our prayers, and came to earth with us in mind. We were not created to be insignificant or without purpose. We are part of the Kingdom of God, created in his image, and that is no small detail.
