The Flexible Life -- October 29, 2009

31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” 33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”
Mark 3:31-35

It seems to me that Mary must have felt Jesus slip away her whole life. She wasn’t yet pregnant when she found that her Son would be different. He started slipping away from her so that He could be the Savior almost immediately. The shepherds came. The magi came. Simeon and Anna prophesied over Him when they had His ceremonial cleansing. Herod tried to kill Him as a baby and the angles came again to warn Joseph so they could escape to Egypt. All of these experiences made Mary know that her Son was different. Then when He was twelve, Jesus stayed at the temple when the family went home. He was teaching the teachers! At this point Scripture tells us that Mary pondered all these things in her heart. I know she felt His life moving away from hers. We don’t hear much about Jesus personally again until He is thirty and begins His public ministry. The day described in this passage must have been hurtful to the family. They were made to be like all the others in Jesus’ life. This trend continued until one day Jesus named John her son while He was hanging on the cross. Later that day He died. Mary lost her Son but she received Him back as Savior and Lord.

It makes me wonder what I have to release to have it become what God want in my life. The people in my life don’t belong to me. They have to be allowed to follow God on the terms He has put in their lives. The material possessions I have will have to be released to let them work for God’s kingdom. My plans will have to be reconfigured to match His. I marvel at Mary’s flexible attitude concerning Jesus. I know I am not so supple in my person in some areas.

OK Jesus, I want to line up with your plans. I want to live with the people in my life the way you would have me and I want to use the things in my life for eternal purposes. I ask for Your Spirit to soften me and make my attitude more pliable for Your use. Help me Jesus when it hurts.

Pastor Jason