What If...

Responding to the call that God has on each Christ follower's life can be life altering!  Growing up a PK, I grew up saying that I wasn't going to marry someone in the ministry.  I wanted to have a "normal" life.  Now, as a kid, I had a great life.  My strife came in when my parents always had to find someone for me to sit with in church so that I would behave during the service.  My mom was in the back row of the choir loft and my dad was on the stage so I had to have someone to make sure I was ok and behaving.  As I got a little older and was able to sit with my friends, everyone knew when little miss Marci was misbehaving in church because they would hear my mom clearing her throat and then eventually see her stand up and exit the choir loft.  So "normal" to me was that I wanted to have a husband that sat with me in church and all of our kids with us.  However, at 16, God called me to full time Christian ministry.  At the time, I wasn't exactly sure in what capacity, but as my life unfolds I believe I understand.  I went on to marry a man...in the ministry.  It's been an amazing ride, however, and I wouldn't change it for a thing!
In scripture, we see some men not wanting to heed the call that God had on their life.  Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh and he ended up in the belly of a whale.  Moses didn't want to represent the Israelites because he had a speech impediment, so God had to show up to him through a burning bush.
The other day I was thinking to myself, what if Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a rebellious spirit.  What if when the Angel of the Lord came to her and told her that she was going to give birth to the Son of God, she completely refused to cooperate.  What if she said, "Are you kidding me?  I want a normal life!  I don't need this!  What are people going to think of me?  I'm pregnant, not married...no way!  Not going there!"  Granted, her life was anything but "normal", but the blessings she received to be chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus!  Wow!  Being the mother of the Son of God had it's joyous moments, It's honorable moments, it's proud moments, it's scary moments, and it's gut wrenching moments.  I can assure you though that she would have never chosen any other path!
God has a plan for each of us!  Not just those "in the ministry"!  As we are fixing to begin a new year, start fresh by asking yourself if you have responded to the call that God has on your life!  Does your life have meaning?  Is your life making a difference?  Do you have peace in your life?  Do you have purpose?  A passion?  Are you living your life in a way that you would want your legacy to be remembered?  If not, you have probably not completely allowed the Son of God, the One whom we are celebrating this very season, to penetrate your life!  Don't be afraid!  That's what the Angel told Mary too!  Give it up and accept the call that the Creator of the universe has on your life!  I can assure you that it will be life altering and it will be an amazing ride!