"Christians in the American culture are willing to serve God as long as it does not inconvenience them."
I heard this statement on the radio today and it sent chills down my spine. Then as I thought about it, I realized there is more truth to this than we want to admit.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a young girl in her teens. She had dreams just like every other young girl in her world. Then God interrupted her life. She was chosen to birth the Son of God--Jesus.
It must have been a fearful and yet joyful time for her. She must have wondered what would happen while knowing that God would see her through. Mary lived through the doubt with the aire of certainty. The certainty was made more concrete when she spent time with her cousin, Elizabeth, only to find that Elizabeth too had experienced a miracle of God. Imagine how the two pregnant women must have talked.
If Mary lived in our world, she probably would have had to check the schedules before being certain. Her work schedule, recreation, and family schedule, the football schedule--all would have to have been clear in order to do what God would have her do. And of course, the ability to carry the Son of God would have to rate high on the happiness meter of her life.
In fact, Mary would probably just have to tell God that this birthing thing is going to have be done later in life. It is not a good time. There were too many things that just had to be done before she could squeeze one more thing into her life's schedule. Certainly God would understand.
Some live in the illusion that believing and professing in God means that we serve God when it is convenient to us or just when we feel like it. Nothing could be further from the truth. When Christ is born in your life as your Savior, he reigns! Jesus becomes that which everything else revolves around. Otherwise, the Christmas season is nothing more than Santa Claus, toys, and sleigh bells.
So the question during this season is "Can God Count on You?" Mary answered with an unconditional yes.
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