Have you ever wondered what hold you back from taking a step of faith, of trusting God with all of your heart, soul and mind, of taking great risk for the Kingdom of God? I have been thinking about these things as I have been studying the story of Mary and Joseph one again this Christmas season.
Mary, a young lady probably thirteen or fourteen was engaged to a man named Joseph when she has Gabriel, an angle message of God, visit her and tell her she is going to give birth to the Messiah, the Savior of the world. She listens to this “calling” of God on her life and is obedient at great risk to herself. This step of faith could cost her, her very life, as well has her heart (in light of Easter) and yet she enters into this calling.
Joseph learning of his soon to be wife is pregnant he is outraged and when he makes up his mind to divorce her quietly, he receive his “calling” from God through the angel Gabriel as well. He acts in obedience at great risk to his reputation, way of life, ability to function in that society.
When they received their calling, and act in obedience, they experience (something we all long for in this life) purpose!
So, why don’t we take the risk and walk by faith? I think I know what it is – FEAR! Fear holds us back from experiencing the full joy of our calling by God. Fear is one of the devil’s (I don’t want to honor him by capitalizing his name) great weapons to defeat people by crippling them from receiving Christ, and crippling God’s children into living mediocre (at best) defeated lives. God through His servant Paul writes, “God does not give us the spirit of fear, but of power love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).” Fear is when we are relying on the wrong thing.
This Christmas season let’s be like Mary and Joseph and take risk by accepting the call of God on our lives to love Him and love our neighbors! I think you will find when you do this you will experience great joy and a senses of purpose of life – or to put it like Jesus did, “Life and life to the full!”
