"Pregnant" with the Presence of God...

" “That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35

Have you ever considered yourself “pregnant” with the presence of God?  Oswald Chambers reminds us, “What was true of the Virgin Mary in the historic introduction of God's Son into this earth is true in every [believer]. The Son of God is born into me by the direct act of God.”  As believers we have the awesome responsibility and opportunity to be surrendered to the Spirit within us, to be about our Father’s business just like Mary. Take a look below at how Chambers asks us to challenge ourselves with this truth. Warning! It is an “ouch!”

Is He getting his wonderful way in me? Is God realizing that His Son is formed in me, or have I carefully put Him on one side? …. Is the Son of God praying in me or am I dictating to Him? Is He ministering in me as He did in the days of His flesh? Is the Son of God in me going through His passion for His own purposes?

Wow.  Told you it was an “ouch.” But it isn’t it a good ouch?  Because the Spirit of God lives within us, we get to be a “Mary,” we get to bring His Son into this world. As we build community with our ladies, as we love our families and friends, as we go about the business of life, may the incarnation of Jesus Christ continue!

Needing Mercy,

Pattie

And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." Luke 1:38

Do We Celebrate?

Luke 1:57-58  Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

If I am honest, I more readily weep with those who weep than rejoice with those who rejoice.  How about you?

As I consider Elizabeth’s neighbors, I have to ask myself why this is true. Why is that when God blesses another with something for which they have longed, I am not as committed to passionately rejoicing as I am to compassionately commiserating?

On the surface it seems that weeping with those who weep is more costly. But as I look deeper into my own soul, I realize that might not be the case.

When I weep with another I am often weeping over something they do not have, something that I do have or do not desire. But when I rejoice with another, often it is over something they have received that I have not.

By rejoicing with her, Elizabeth’s neighbors became a true community of God. Together they witnessed and then evidenced the great mercy of God that was visiting them all!  Celebrating is not about what our friend “gets” but about who God is among us all!

“Christianity is Christ living in community” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Needing Mercy,
Pattie