The Sunday Mail
COMPLIMENTS of the season to you all. Last time we talked about Joseph. Personally, Joseph really inspires me.
All of the principles and the character that Jesus had were all formed by Joseph yet we hear so little about him trying to take the credit for the life of Jesus. It is alleged that by the time Jesus died on the cross Joseph had already passed away. However, Joseph’s journey began long before that, when he was just a young person like you and I.
Today we will spend a brief moment on Mary. Mary is equally a unique character. Mary is introduced in Luke 1:27 as, “To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.”
God had sent the angel Gabriel with a message to Mary that she would be the mother of the saviour of the whole world. First the word “virgin” appears twice in the verse, which is very significant.
Unfortunately today being a virgin is something that many people no longer consider to be important. Both men and women now have several sexual partners before they get married. This is very concerning. I would like to encourage you to keep yourself pure (male or female).
Some can say it is not possible but I can tell you that it is very possible through discipline and self-control but more so through self-respect. The fact that, the word appears twice means that Luke was not just talking about biological virginity.
Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:4, “No man that warreth entagleth himself with the affair of this life, . . .”.
It is amazing how many Christians are involved with the worldly system. There is no longer a clear demarcation between Christians and those who are in the world.
The language that is spoken, the music listened to, the activities that numerous Christian youths and young adults are involved in. It is really disturbing. Mary did not soil herself by entangling herself with the affairs of this world.
Let us be convicted by the actions of Mary and if you have strayed make amends today. Start living right and you too will begin to experience the favour of God.
Now if you look at a scripture, almost always when an angel appears, the men there are very afraid and some even fail to speak. Even Zachariah the father of John the prophet, failed to handle his visitation and was struck with dumbness. Yet when this young girl saw Gabriel she was calm cool and collected. I believe this is because of a clear conscience (I am not saying that the men of God had dirty consciences).
Many youths today suffer from a guilty conscience or feel very inadequate for one reason or another. Today I want you to know that Christ died for you. His blood was shed so you could enjoy a relationship with God Almighty.
Third, Mary was willing to sacrifice her life for the greater good. This young girl had kept herself for her husband to be. If it was discovered that she was pregnant she risked losing her husband to be, she could face heavy criticism from society. It could be a cause of shame to her parents.
Yet she was willing to put her life on the line for the greater good. She chose to trust God.
You must realise that no one thought that Mary was “The One”. Everyone was focusing elsewhere and God chose her. I would like to encourage you that as we are in 2016 continue in good deeds and acts. God is not blind, your time is coming God has a plan for you and it will work out well for you. Yield yourself to God just as these two young people did.
That is all for now, God bless.
Tinashe Zinyemba is a pastor with New Life Covenant Church. Feedback: [email protected]
