It's coming up Christmas, an many are sad, depressed, and angry to name a few emotions. Through the years we have allowed our circumstances and past wounds, to dictate how we view one of the most precious times of the year. We enter into The Season dragging a bag filled with negative emotions, sadness, wounds from the past, hurts and disappointments. WAIT! STOP!!!Get rid of the Bag! You are not defined by your circumstances, past or present.
Let me give you the Gift of Why This Season - You Are Defined Not by Your Circumstance - but Whom You Are Called to Be - A Man or Woman of Worth!
Let's take a look at Mary - The Mother of Jesus! A Woman of Crisis? In reality Yes - In Truth - No - Mary is A Woman of Worth!
Mary is no doubt one of the first women whose "circumstances" made her a "woman in crisis". Some how we put such a romanticised views of Mary,the Manger and the Christmas Story, that we don't really take time to look at the "circumstances",and what we can learn about our own lives.
Mary a young girl - a teenager - begins to tell her family, Joseph and his family as well - that she was expecting - and that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
HELLO - can you imagine the first thoughts that went through these folks mind? Joseph himself did not immediately embrace what Mary told him. Can you imagine how Mary must have felt at that very moment, when Joseph hesitated - had to think about it? He wasn't convinced by what Mary told him, it was not until The Holy Spirit, visited him that he believed her. He was trying to find a way of "divorcing" her quietly. Mary, was certainly a young woman in crisis if we defined her by the circumstances. Let's also remember her circumstances she had not herself chosen.
Stay with me here!As Mary's story continues, Joseph took Mary with him to Bethlehem, an approximate four day journey,there were no fast food restaurants, one stop gas station stores and no motel that kept their lights on for them on this journey. Keep in mind that Mary was in the last days of pregnancy - and she was making this journey on a donkey. As they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary is in the beginning of labor she is tired, she is dirty from all the dust and the pain of contractions have begun. No No one cared, no one was concerned, no one opened their arms to her.
With no interest in the fact that the young girl was in labor, the very young woman tat that God had chosen to birth his Son, the Inn's owner in on a whim, offered them the stable - the damp, dark, smelly place where all the animals were kept This is not exactly we find on our mantel - what we see in one out of every other yard across the nation.
The reality of Mary's circumstance - an indention, a cave dug out below the Inn, it was dark, damp and dirty, filled with the inn's cows, sheep, chicken coops,the patron's donkeys,and probably mice. The aroma that filled the area was not of evergreen and spices but musty,animal scents. There was no decorator inspired nursery, no special hospital room for expectant moms, t was a bleak, smelly, stable. For Mary, there was no Center to assist her, no one, just her, Joseph and the animals - the reality of her circumstance. The world was too busy to notice or even care that Mary was about to fulfill the promise given to her - She would be giving birth to God's precious only son.
I have no doubt that that in the reality of her circumstance Mary had moments when the circumstances out weighted the Promise. Mary was truly a woman of crisis.
The bottom line is this Mary was not defined by her circumstance, she was defined by the Promise of God. Mary was a Women of Worth!
We also are not defined by our circumstance we are defined by the promise that God has given to us.The bottom line for all of us whether male or female, is that we are not defined by our circumstance, we are defined by the what God promised us. We have the opportunity to choose to be the man or Woman of Worth God has promised to us. We just have to make the choice.
Over forty years ago, I chose to give my life to Jesus. It has been a journey filled with circumstances, good and bad. Many of which I wish I could change, but we can not go backwards, we can only go forward. We chose each day what we are gong to do with it. For me, I have no choice but to believe the Word of God says about me and my future. For I know too much about His mercy and grace. My bag of negatives, sadness and disappointments dim in comparison with all that Jesus himself has given. His life - for me!
For those sceptics, let me just say, it is not about those that have hurt, disappointed me,the different religions, the Church House or even those Church men and women who has a hoop that no one can jump through. It is about the man Jesus himself, who was born to a woman in crisis in the midst of circumstances. His story can only be believed if you allow Him to touch your heart and mind. Am I wrong? Well, I am willing to wait and see.
Just as Mary was not defined by her circumstances, neither am I and neither are you. My wish for you this year is to turn from your bag filled with all the reason you have not to enjoy The Season and to experience the True facts about You! You are a Woman or Man of Worth and that you at this moment are being covered with my prayers of healing and blessing for you this year and the New Year to come.
May each of you today Find The Truth of Your Worth and Have The Best Merry Christmas you have ever experienced. May your New Year be filled with knowing You are A Man or Woman of Worth!!!
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