Christmas List - Mary_Slideshare.pptx

Mary: Prioritizing Trust over Security. (Dec. 2 & 3) Luke 1:26-38 For a young Jewish girl in 1st century Galilee, there were clearly defined roles, a very clear social order. Mary would have got engaged at around 5 years of age. Her father and Joseph’s father would have agreed on a “bride price” and sealed the deal with a wine toast. From that day forward, Mary would have been preparing for her betrothal in her early teens and marriage, 1-2 years later. Her life was scripted to a degree that we can’t easily relate to in our culture. She would have been trained in all the critical tasks a Jewish wife was expected to perform. Mary would have found great “security” as she saw Joseph develop and grow into a solid man of integrity. Mary’s dream would have rocked her world. An unexplained pregnancy was sure to shatter years of plans, hopes and dreams. She was faced with a choice of refusing God’s offer or prioritizing trust in the “otherness” of God’s plan over security in sameness. What do we do when God’s plan shatters our pre-conceived notions of what our life will look like in the future?Read less