Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said”.
In the divine crossword puzzle, the word “surrender” strikes through the word “significance”. Surrender is a horizontal word in the crossword. It does not denote weakness but submission to God’s ways and God’s will. Significance is the word that cuts through surrender vertically. The difference between success and significance is that success helps us to reach our goal, but significance motivates others to reach their destiny. Success is self-oriented, but significance requires self-sacrifice.
Mary surrendered to God’s plan. The proposal that was announced by the angel Gabriel would not have sounded exciting to the young teenage girl. She was confused as she was not married. However, she chose to surrender to the plan of God that she did not understand. According to the Law of Moses, Mary would be stoned to death if her betrothed husband Joseph had rejected her (Leviticus 20:13). With the unknown future discombobulating her, Mary chose to surrender. The reward of her obedience is that she was, is and will be the most blessed among all women.
The angel Gabriel did not give Mary the details of the journey ahead. He did not tell her that God will speak to Joseph in a dream nor assure her that everything will be alright. He only told her that the power of God will come upon her. Similarly, God will not give us the details or the direction of our journey ahead. However, obedience and surrender to God’s plan will help us to leave a legacy.
Horizontal and Vertical words in crosswords:
1. Success: Success in career can be achieved with caliber and aptitude.It is important to be successful in as the word of God says, Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whatever we do will prosper (Psalm 1:). However, if the success does not extend beyond us to bless others, we will have no eternal reward.
2. Surrender: Surrender would require letting go of what we want and holding onto God’s hand. Surrender is impossible without unshakable trust that God will lead us through the unknown. Mary did not delay submitting to God’s sovereign plan. She did not tell the angel to revisit her the next year. She did not ask for time to think about the assignment that was given to her. Similarly, those who have yielded to the Lord completely will not wait for God to fix their health, job situation or finance before they fulfil their assignment. Trust in God is the essence of surrender.
3. Significance: Selflessness and self-sacrifice is always rewarded with significance. Non-judgmental service, unconditional love, putting others above ourselves, thinking through the mind of Christ and striving to be the hands and feet of Jesus paints the canvas of our life with ‘significance’.
Surrender to God’s plan deposits significance and eternal riches in heaven.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Prayer: Father God, soften my heart to surrender to your plan and your ways even when I don’t understand. Help me to leave an indelible eternal mark of the love of Christ in the lives of those who cross my path. Amen
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