BE POSITIVE
Luke 1:39-56

As a child of the Most High God, allow positive thinking to take over your mind set. Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.”  As a high priest, the work of Zacharias was committed to God. However, when it was time to have his thoughts established, he could not get it right. Having been barren for long, the angel visited him while he was standing on the right side of the altar of incense. (Luke 1:11) The angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” (Luke 1:13)  Zacharias could not receive his prophecy and questioned the angel when he responded, “And Zacharias said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.’”(Luke 1:18) Zacharias’ thought was not in line with his prayer request at the time of his visitation. Zacharias’ response prompted the angel’s statement, “But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” (Luke 1:20) Having positive thoughts can make a whole lot of a difference in how the journey on earth is propagated. As a child of God whose work is committed unto God, it is important not to think and see our request as being there when it is yet there to be seen. Just as Zacharias was visited, so Mary received her visitation when the angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.” (Luke 1:31-32) Mary did not dispute the message, but asked an appropriate question of how that could be. As a virgin, it could be considered as an appropriate question; unlike Priest Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, who served God in the highest ground and yet could not place God in a higher area of trust in his thinking. Zacharias was mute through the pregnancy of John the Baptist. Have you been placed on a higher ground of service in the Lord? If yes, much is expected of you and any less can bring forth painful consequence. Mary did not dispute, but rather received the message of the angel stating, “…’behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”(Luke 1:38) Mary heard the message and she received it by seeing when it was not yet there.

Prayer for the day: Open the eyes of my heart Lord and cause me to constantly receive Your message.