This morning I’ve been thinking about Christmas. I love this time of year with all the decorations, the gifts, and the gatherings. I love wrapping gifts, putting up the tree, and playing Christmas music. But this morning, that’s not what I was thinking about. I was thinking about a young girl at the center of the story of Christ’s birth. I was thinking about His mother, Mary.

Lets take a look at some scriptures that mention this mighty woman of God, who started out as a yielded young girl.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matthew 1:22-23, KJV)

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:30-33, KJV)

She was a young virgin, engaged to be married and God was asking her to carry His Son. It was going to cost her. It used to be quite a stigma in our society for a young, unmarried girl to become pregnant. But in Mary’s day, it was much more than a stigma, she could be stoned to death for such a thing.

But in the questions she asked and the things she said, I don’t see her thinking about what this might cost her, but just curious about how this could be.

Then said, Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:34-35, KJV)

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. (Luke 1:38, KJV)

Then Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. (Luke 1:38, Amplified)

No questions of “What about me?” or “What about my reputation?” “What about my life.” Her response was “I am His. And my life is His to do with as He wills.”

While this was so strange, so new, so impossible she never doubted Him. She believed Him and trusted Him with her life.

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. (Luke 1:45, KJV)

She yielded spirit, soul and body and brought forth the Son of God.

God has plans for each of us. They may seem strange and impossible. But if He’s asking I guarantee you it will be marvelous and wonderful. Yield today in all that He asks. Love the unlovely. Forgive the unforgivable. Step out on His word and do the works. Yield yourself to Him and to His plans and let His power work in you and through you to change this world forever. All to the glory of God.