54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Luke 1:54-55 (NIV)
Do you want the kind of boldness that causes you to obey God even in the face of death? That is the kind of boldness it takes to do great things for God. Mary faced death with the assignment that God had placed in her life, but she agreed. How did she build that boldness in her life? The last lines of her song could be part of the answer. She knew history. She knew as a decedent of Abraham she had access to God’s promises. She knew that God had promises to fulfill to His people, and we can know God’s promises to us. We can have the boldness to obey God as well.
Mary knew and acknowledged what God had done in the past for her ancestors. God always came to the aid of His people. She knew that Abraham and his descendants had been helped many times in the past. As a descendant of Abraham, Mary could trust that God was with her and would help her with the difficult assignment that she faced.
The promise was not just for her, though. The Israelites, the heirs to the Abrahamic covenant, had waiting a long time for a deliverer, the Messiah, a Savior. Mary’s assignment was to birth this Savior. Her assignment would result in success because it was the promise God made to His people.
Jesus came to show mercy to the entire human population. Jesus’ blood covers everyone sins, not just the sins of the Israelites. All those who come in the name of Jesus and ask for forgiveness are shown mercy. Because of Jesus we are all co-heirs with Jesus and can rely on God’s promises.
Knowing this part of history gives us a certain level of boldness. Is that enough for every assignment God has asked of us? Mary probably knew her history well. That knowledge could help face the difficulties in her path. The decedents of Abraham who knew about God’s power had the boldness to complete their assignments, and we need to diligently study God’s Word to build our faith. Diligent study of God’s Word gives us the boldness we need.
Mary knew and acknowledged what God had done in the past for her ancestors. God always came to the aid of His people. She knew that Abraham and his descendants had been helped many times in the past. As a descendant of Abraham, Mary could trust that God was with her and would help her with the difficult assignment that she faced.
The promise was not just for her, though. The Israelites, the heirs to the Abrahamic covenant, had waiting a long time for a deliverer, the Messiah, a Savior. Mary’s assignment was to birth this Savior. Her assignment would result in success because it was the promise God made to His people.
Jesus came to show mercy to the entire human population. Jesus’ blood covers everyone sins, not just the sins of the Israelites. All those who come in the name of Jesus and ask for forgiveness are shown mercy. Because of Jesus we are all co-heirs with Jesus and can rely on God’s promises.
Knowing this part of history gives us a certain level of boldness. Is that enough for every assignment God has asked of us? Mary probably knew her history well. That knowledge could help face the difficulties in her path. The decedents of Abraham who knew about God’s power had the boldness to complete their assignments, and we need to diligently study God’s Word to build our faith. Diligent study of God’s Word gives us the boldness we need.
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