Peggy Boldizsar Nunley

Here of late, I have been reflecting and doing a deep study into the life of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. A story I thought was simple has become complex and awakening to my soul.

I always imagined Mary as a young girl, who in her immaturity and innocence,  accepted the call to be the Mother of Jesus. In all honesty,,,,,,what do you say to the angel, Gabriel, when he appears and declares you as a chosen vessel to carry the Savior of the world? 

Do you respond by saying, “Thank you for the invitation, but I really need to pray about it and consider the implications of what it might mean to embrace this call? I really need to see if this is me selfishly wanting to do this or if God is really asking me to do this? I’ll get back with you Gabriel. Just give me some time.” (REALLY?????)

NO!!!!!  If Mary had responded the way we often respond to God’s call and command over our life, it would seem CRAZY!

So, for you B & R (Born & Raised) people out there that have been raised in the church your whole life……..

If your Pastor hasn’t schooled you in how to respond to a word from God……Allow me to teach you a little lesson…….

If an Angel of the Lord appears to you and tells you something, ‘BIBLE 101’ teaches us that we respond by saying ‘YES!’  NOT, I’ll pray about it!  NOT, let me consider it!  NOT, I’m not sure I’m qualified for this... NO!!!!!!!!

You simply say, as Mary did in Luke 1:38:  “I am the Lord’s slave,” said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word…” 

Every day I work with Missionaries from all over the world. I mobilize those embarking on their first steps of obedience to the Great Commission and those that have been seasoned in years of saying ‘YES’  and responding in a heart beat of obedience to God’s command to follow Him.

What I have come to discover is that more and more young future Missionaries are taking a very unbiblical approach in response to the call of God in Scripture to obey Him.

It’s like they have been trained in the church to pray about everything – which sounds really spiritual and good. 

In fact, the Bible teaches us to….“Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)

But…… How many of us who are praying is different than, I believe, Paul intended. It’s like we pray,,,, “God tell me for sure if You really want me to do what You are telling me to do…..”

Instead of praying,,,,, “God, give me the courage I need to obey Your commands.”

This is especially true of the Great Commission.

I have never heard a person in the church say, “I have a desire to kill someone, but I need to Go and pray and see what’s God Will is for me in this….”

NO! That would be insane!!! We would say – ”The Bible commands us NOT to kill. Therefore, to kill is sin. We are COMMANDED not to kill.” It is that simple.

Yet, when it comes to the Great Commission we take a much different approach.

I hear language like, “I see this opportunity to take the gospel to lost, unreached people but I need to PRAY if God wants me to go tell them the Good News?” (WHAT????)

Matthew 28:18-20 is NOT the Great Suggestion! But, rather an emphatic command by God to GO and make Disciples. GO – Implies movement. GO – Implies activity. GO – Implies we are being told by Jesus Himself – DO THIS!!  He even spoke it in ‘RED LETTERS!’ Jesus highlighted it for anyone who might doubt its meaning.

I think back on Mary…. She had a Messenger of God ( the angel Gabriel) appear to her and tell her what God’s Will was for her life. BUT…..We have much more than that! More than an angel, we have the ‘Direct Words’ of God to each of us to GO and TELL. God didn’t send it through a Messenger, He delivered this message to us Himself.

Mary had a unique, special, calling over her life. She would be the Human Shield to protect the Innocence of the world. She would be the Princess Warrior chosen to carry the Seed of God to ALL humanity.

Can I share a truth with you?

We are all a ‘Mary’, if we have called upon Jesus and embraced His gospel. You and I are called, like Mary, to carry the Innocence of the world to a guilty, sinful, blinded people deceived by the god of this age.  WE ARE the Human Shields hand picked by God to protect and steward the Truth, the Seed of God that is being nurtured in our souls to be shared with ALL mankind. We are the Carriers of ‘THE DELIVERER’ for ALL nations, ALL tribes, ALL peoples, and ALL languages.

We, like Mary, have a unique, special, calling over our lives to Carry the Truth of the Gospel to ALL people. How are you protecting, cherishing, stewarding, and fulfilling this call? Are you still praying about obedience, or have you finally decided to ‘Simply Obey?’