“I am the Lord's slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:38 HCSB
While in college I struggled to determine what God wanted me to do with my life. Every year I changed my major looking for something that I could be passionate about. My father was a pastor and I did not have any desire to follow in his footsteps. I wanted to blaze my own trail and do something different. During the summer between my junior and senior year I attended a family enrichment conference with my parents and my grandmother. I really did not want to go, but it was through that conference that I felt God calling me into ministry. Ichanged my major one last time and then went to Southern seminary to prepare for ministry. I have been in full-time ministry for forty years. Even though there have been many challenging times, God has been good and has richly blessed me in many ways.
God called Mary to serve Him in a very unique role. She faced a lot of uncertainty. Would Joseph reject her? Would her parents reject her? Would anyone really believe her when she said she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit? Would people think she was crazy? Even though there was a big risk involved in following God's call, Mary willing obeyed and said, “May everything you have said come true.” The future was uncertain but she knew that she could trust God with her life.
Challenge: What has God called you to do? He may not call you to be a minister or to bear a child like Mary but He does have a plan for your life. It is a plan to prosper you and not to harm you, but you must willingly obey and follow His will for your life. Make a renewed commitment to serving God. Write down ways you can serve God in the coming year. Pray and offer yourself to God even if it means you will face some challenging days ahead.