"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
Luke 1:45
The primary point of parenting, from God's point of view, is to pass on a legacy of faith. We are to teach our children to look at life through the lens of pleasing and obeying God and passing on His messages.
I love the story of Mary. A mother, like me, she modeled the acceptance of God's choice to make her the mother of his son and lived in worship, faithfulness and obedience the rest of her life.
When we read about her in Luke, we see that she not only exhibited faith by being obedient to what the angel required of her, but she was also a woman of the word and lived by the truth that she had learned by hearing scripture her whole life. The magnificat that she spoke tells us of her knowledge of the word of God from the Old Testament which was what gave her ability to live by faith in His call on her life.
As women, faith exhibited in and through our lives is what will make the reality of God seem real as we live our lives in front of others. Think of how faith was worked out through out the Bible.
If the risk that faith requires had not been taken, there would be no Jewish Nation, the same way we know of it.
Abraham had to go out, not knowing where he was going and then
he had to be willing to sacrifice his son on the altar.
Mankind could have been decimated if Noah hadn't listened and obeyed.
Noah had to build an ark, against much ridicule, and collect animals, against ridicule.
The Jews might still be slaves.
By faith, Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
He was willing to take millions of men, women and children, into the Red Sea with an Egyptian Army racing at his back.
Jericho may have won the battle.
Without David's slingshot, the Philistines would have won the battle.
Without Mary's heart saying, Be it done to me according to your will, we would have no heroine of motherhood to follow.
She had to move to a foreign country for two years, the most hated country of her nation,
Move to a whole new town, live with a perfect son,
Watch him die on the cross and live by faith through it all.
Battles would not have been won, heroes would not have been made,
Mother Theresa would not have ventured to India to show compassion to thousands.
Amy Carmichael would not have retrieved girls from prostitution.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer would not have written The Cost of Discipleship in prison.
Children would not be trained and educated at their mother's knee.
Marriages would have ended.
Ministries would not have been established.
When God's spirit is alive within us, HE compels us to take ground back for the Kingdom of God.
God's spirit drives us to redeem.
He motivates us to give generous love and to work unto sacrifice that others might be reach with the kingdom messages.
In short, when the people of God are moved by faith, to do His works on earth during their short lives,
The whole world is turned upside down, by normal people who serve a transcendent, omnipotent God.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God.
When people become passive and fearful, there is no power or mystery of the Kingdom of God sweeping over the world with life and healing.
What is God whispering in your heart today, to accomplish by faith in Him?
Faith requires a listening heart. God is so willing to use normal people--who are listening and willing to obey.
How are you being responsive to Him today to live a life of faith?
It cost Jesus His life to redeem the world, but because of His sacrifice, the battle has been won.
What risk are you willing to take, by faith, to venture to live a story that others will tell for generations to come?
Read the stories of my life and how I discipled my children, following the lead of Christ.
