We’re continuing with our Advent devotional and this week we are focusing on the passage from Luke:

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The 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 called the Son of God. Even 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. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:34-38

God chose Mary to bear His child. His only Son that would change the history of the world and mankind. She was no extraordinary woman, nor did He need her to be. All He required was for Mary to receive the news and accept that, despite her not understanding, not knowing how it would all work or what the plan was, the Lord had called on her and therefore by default she was capable.

Sometimes when we are called to do something by our faith, whether that be in the church, or outside of it, we are unsure how worthy we are of doing so. But what I have learnt along my own journey is that, just like Mary, you don’t need to have studied theology, to have specific encounters with the Spirit or to come from any level of status in order to do His work. In fact, the opposite is true. He meets us exactly where we are, despite our limitations. He knows we aren’t perfect, for if we were, we would be on par with Him.

‘So what if our limits are not an obstacle but an invitation? …Because the beautiful mystery of the Annunciation is this: God chooses to dwell within our human limitations. And when He dwells within our human limits, our souls expand to accommodate His infinite presence in our lives and He stretches us to look like Him.’

Ponder

How can you embrace your limits to make room for God this advent?

For me, I know I don’t know a lot about the Bible and Christianity as a whole. The furthest I went in the realm of study was R.E until year 9 and Bible study etc. was never really offered in my home church. So then coming to do comms at a church was a bit daunting. I knew all the things in terms of social media and how the different platforms worked, but writing weekly blogs on faith was scary. On top of that, as a church, we are a disciple making movement, and I don’t think when I joined the church I even fully grasped what it meant to be a disciple. But this is what is so great about Him. He threw me into the mix, knowing I would have such a great bunch of people around me to learn from and a safe environment to ask questions without judgement. And I’m still learning. Do I feel like I’m in a position to say I can help make new disciples now? No. But what I do know, is I will continue to explore the questions I personally have, ask and read about the topics and then share what I find right here, for anyone to read and get a base level, hopefully, easy to understand answer, no matter where they are at on their journey with God. The limits I will continue to embrace are the known unknowns I have about my faith. Which I now love, because it just makes me want to learn so much more and brings me that much closer to Him!

Breath Prayer

Inhale: God, you chose limits…

Exhale: …so I can too.