Almost Mary

Today is a good day to reflect on my name. A few years ago (more than a few) my family chose a name for me when I was born. My brother Michael Dennis wanted to name me after himself – Michelle Denise. Somehow that didn't happen. So since I was born in December (on today's date) the name Mary seemed like a good name with Christmas coming up and all. I was always glad they didn't choose Mary -- to me it doesn't fit my personality. I guess Marie is close enough.

When I think about it now, it would have been an honor to be named Mary. An angel visited the original Mary and told her that she not just favored but HIGHLY favored and blessed. He also told her of God's awesome purpose for her life – something that no one had ever done before and never will do again – give birth to the Son of Righteousness.

Look at this conversation between Mary and the angel.

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:34-35 NKJV
Man, that blesses me. Look at the possibilities of what the angel responded to Mary. When we have a dream of something that we feel we cannot accomplish or when we feel that the call of God is a call that no one has ever seen and we do not know a man literally or figuratively, we have biblical precedent from the angel's words. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. When God calls us to the impossible and unknown, He will give of the power to conceive and birth His plan.

Then the angel tells Mary in verse 37: For with God nothing will be impossible.

Mary quickly came  into agreement with that word: Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.

Later, Mary's cousin Elizabeth blessed Mary with these words: Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. Luke 1:45 NKJV

Stop and ponder those words for a minute.

Then Mary, my almost namesake, worshipped God. She was a woman of great faith whose heart was tender toward her Lord. She had a name to be lived up to. She said these words which have come to be call La Magnificat and the Psalm of Mary. Lift up this praise with me:

        . . . .  My soul magnifies the Lord,
       47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
       48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
      For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
       49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
      And holy is His name.
       50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him
      From generation to generation.
       51 He has shown strength with His arm;
      He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
       52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
      And exalted the lowly.
       53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
      And the rich He has sent away empty.
       54 He has helped His servant Israel,
      In remembrance of His mercy,
       55 As He spoke to our fathers,
      To Abraham and to his seed forever.” Luke 1:46b-55

Blessings - Marie Denise