There's Something About Mary

Let me apologize in advance for the title of this blog which I lifted from a somewhat profane 1998 movie starring Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller.  It has no correlation to that story line other than the fact that the title meshed perfectly with my theme for today!  

These days there is a whole new social media language originating from texting.  It comes with its very own innovative words that often only the seasoned insider can understand.  My personal favorite is ROFL or “Rolling on the Floor Laughing”.  I imagine this was the initial reaction of most of the prophets in the Bible when God asked them to do something strange.  You want me to do WHAT????  Just like some of the acronyms of texting, it seemed absolutely nonsensical when viewed through the lens of the “uninitiated”.  Just think about this for a moment…as Jews and Christians, we are all familiar with the following Biblical accounts.  In each account, God said something so strange, so out of the norm, that only an “insider” could believe and understand:

1)      God asked Noah to build a huge Ark…on DRY land.  He became the laughingstock of his neighbors.

2)      God asked Ezekiel to eat a scroll.

3)      God told Abraham that his wife Sarah would have a baby at 90 years old.  She was literally ROFL when she overheard this.

All of these requests seemed bizarre.  Yet, obviously, every one of these Godly titans in the Bible understood and acquiesced with God’s requests.  The strangest request of all was made to Mary:  As we know from our Christmas story, the Angel Gabriel made a special visitation to her.  He requested:  “Please allow the Holy Spirit to overcome you and make you pregnant, although you are a young virgin and not married.”  Mary must have immediately known this would cause major problems and humiliation in her family and strict Hebrew culture.  Yet her response is a simple and exquisite example of a true Godly “insider”--complete trust…Total understanding of the significance:

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

~Luke 1:38

Can you imagine if Mary didn’t have this response?  Responded with something like “RU Kiddin Me”?  U want me to do WHAT???   IMHO (in my humble opinion), you’re JK—just kidding, right? 

No wonder Catholics refer to Mary as “The Queen of Heaven”. 

In the Old Testament, Queen Vashti proudly and selfishly refused to come to the King when summoned.  The King’s wrath was so great that he removed the crown from her and ultimately replaced her with Queen Esther.  Esther selflessly obeyed commands.  In the end, she enjoyed the free access of coming into the King’s presence whether summoned or not…a position that saved her entire race from destruction.  

If the recent elections tell us anything, it certainly shows that anywhere from 50%-75% of professing Jews & Christians don’t really, truly believe what the Bible says.  Oh sure, sure…they categorically place themselves in some slot of Judaism, Catholic, Protestant, etc…But when the “rubber meets the road”, they vote and act selfishly instead of selflessly. 

So, is The King of Kings summoning you to do something?  We need to stop ROFL or LOL and be obedient.  Simply say….Yes, Lord. 

And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?

~Esther 4:14

“The World tells Israel: ’Wait, there’s still time.’  And I say…Wait for what? Wait until when?”

~Benjamin Netanyahu

NATIONAL REPENTANCE MOVEMENT:

www.dayofrepentance.org.