Blessed Is She Who Believes…

Dear faithful God, this fear lingers in my flesh, telling me I will never be good enough to function on this earth, much less to serve you. I have to confess, I believe my fears and failures have set me outside of your purpose. However, the moment I take a long look at you, you comfort my wayward heart. That view of view helps me recognize my fear and shame as a form of self worship. Your radiant perfection, satisfies and settles my selfish, rattled nervous system system. You don’t shame me, but instead, you pull me close, reminding me that your plan has never been based on my goodness, but on yours alone.

Luke 1 is both tender and terrifying, and all this is based on what God did with the lives of two simple girls, Elizabeth and Mary. The tenderness can be found when we see where God put the story of salvation into motion with the pregnancy of Mary’s barron cousin Elisabeth. It is also there when Gabriel told Mary not to be afraid, that God had chosen her to bear his son, and that anything is possible with him.

We see his tenderness in the sweet detail of John the Baptist, leaping in Elizabeth’s womb when Mary came near with Jesus in her belly. The tender hand of God can be traced throughout the chapter, and that’s because it would take the power of his loving kindness to calm the fear they must have been overwhelmed by.

Imagine how wonderfully joyous, and yet altogether frightening, it had to have been for Elizabeth to know she was finally going to have a baby as an older woman. We cannot even fathom how completely afraid Mary must’ve fell throughout her pregnancy, knowing God had given her this child for a purpose greater than herself, and at the same time having no clue what that would require of her.

However, in Luke 1:39-45, after Elizabeth felt her baby boy proclaimed the presence of the Lord, she makes a declarative statement over Mary that sets the tone of confident praise:

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!” (Vs 45).

This phrase gives way to one of the most beautiful, worshipful prayers in the Bible found in Luke 1:46-56…

Make note of how easy it would be to praise Mary. She was a noble woman, one whom we should model our lives after. But what we should pay most attention to is how she received that blessing from Elizabeth and then gave it right back to God. She knew herself to be flawed and sinful, and she knew he would have to breathe perseverance into her bones.

She also knew, based on God‘s pattern that he would be victorious, regardless of her fears and subsequent failures.

Do you have insecurities that make you believe God doesn’t want to use you? I challenge you to write them down in your journal. Go even further and write verses 45-56 and stop to think about how in all of his power, he still made a way—through a simple girl— for you to be saved and used by him.

With those contrasting ideas right there in front of you, require yourself to discard your thoughts about you and embrace the measure of your worth in Him alone!

“And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord,  and my spirit rejoices  in God my Savior,  because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,  because the Mighty One  has done great things for me,  and his name  is holy.” Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭46‬-‭49‬ ‭CSB‬‬

*Devotional from Simple Surrender: Day 40

by Rachel Menard

PC: ArtByCorby