In our culture of social media, Instagram, Facebook, IGTV, and YouTube, we are pressed to believe that if our faith is not celebrity status, it is not really faith. If our faith is not big enough to have followers and likes, then our faith is not enough. If what we do for Jesus isn’t seen on certain platforms, then we need to do more for Jesus. Celebrity status is not the litmus test of a life that loves and knows Jesus. It is not about how much others see of us—it is how much we see of God. Mary is a great example of a life of faith. Before anyone knew her name, Mary knew and saw God.
Mary did not have celebrity status at this point. No one knew Mary, yet Mary knew God. Mary knew God with the depth of her being. She knew God and could say, “Let it be to me according to your word.” She praises God with a song in Luke 1:46–55, proclaiming who he is and what he has done. She sings of his justice, his faithfulness, and his sight of the poor and lowly. She believes and knows that God sees her. God sees Mary, and Mary sees God. No one knew her, but Jesus did.
the gift of quiet
All of this changes very quickly when Jesus is born. King Herod hears the news and wants to find Jesus so he can kill him (Matthew 2:1–18). Mary is now known, and her son is a threat. Can you imagine what it would have been like if others had known Mary’s story at that point? What if they had known of the crazy, miraculous, culturally problematic pregnancy?
Before she and Jesus were known, Mary was given this gift of quiet and a space to deepen in faith. She was given a few months of reflection. A gift before the chaos. In that time she was able to confide in her cousin, lean into her husband, and deepen her praise and wonder of God. That time of anonymity was a gift of space to ponder, to reflect, to praise, and to get ready for what was to come. And what was to come would be widely public and incredibly painful.
unseen
We all feel the pull to be seen. We want others to notice us, our gifts, and what we have to offer. At times this can be a selfish pull, and we need to remain humble through confession. As we confess our sin, whether it is pride, selfishness, greed, or something else, God’s grace and mercies meet us. At other times the pull of being seen can be the longing to live as God has called you to live, to have someone notice your gifts, your mind, your heart, and your service. With so much competition, minimization, and comparison in our worlds, we are left unseen. Living a faithful life following Jesus does not have to be done on a stage or on a platform. Your obedience to him is not a show.
I was starting an IG on my relationship with God days ago, but I went silent and reached out to GOD before continuing with the posting, I was pulled out of it. And given different content. Only now do I understand that it was not my time. I need to deepen my relationship with God before I can pour my cup to others. Blessings
Being still and knowing that He is working on me, when I let Him, makes me even more aware of his mercy and grace. Realizing that His word, His teaching, and our obedience to His word gives us the life he wants for us. To share and bring more souls to his knowledge.
This could not have come at a greater time. For the past few days I wondered about how I’ve used social media in the past and questioning whether God is really in every aspect of my life and how I can include God into things such as social media. This has really called me to take this time of ‘lockdown’ as my quiet gap in life where I can focus on God more deeply and seeking him to find these answers without following my own ideas blindly. To look for clarity in life and for God to prepare me for what is to come.
I used to do silence and solitude retreats and they refreshed my soul like nothing else, this lesson makes me want to do that again. Meanwhile I yearn for a quietness before God to really listen to the Holy Spirit.
Unseen to man but seen to God meaning only focus is on God and not Man. Not thinking of Man but putting all our focus and energy on who matters more….God!!!
When we focus on God alone we block all the worldly noise and distractions. We make time for God so read about him and learn more about him.
The unseen space would be a place of peace, stretching of faith, building a stronger bond with our father, letting go and allowing God to be the center of it all which will be of immense value for the future to come.
I am happy that I know my number one FOLLOWER is Jesus and nothing should change that.
Humble space is a time of confession to Lord, time to listen to Lord’s voice and give more praises to the Lord as Mary did
I also learnt being quiet is also a weapon to win devil…as seen in Mathew 2:1-18
If we can just reach that point of realizing that when time and space are somehow (sometimes miraculously) freed up for us, that we don’t need to go searching for something to fill it with. At least that is how I used to be wired.
I grew up in a home with workaholic parents, "idle time is the devil’s time" they used to say. Little did they know that wasn’t completely true.
What one does during idle time determines who owns it, the devil doesn’t automatically get to claim my Quiet Time!
For many years and during different seasons of my life, I too was a workaholic. However, since I was a teen, I experience periods of time where my physical and cognitive functioning are substantially limited, which I learned many many years later, was directly triggered by over-exertion. Through an autoimmune condition and other health issues, those "thorns in my flesh" taught me how to slow down, how to focus on self-care, and more importantly, how to fully lean on the Lord.
I had to learn the long, hard way how to "Be Still". Today however, I fully and completely embrace any and all moments of stillness, and intentionally make time and space to just Be Still and Know God!
I want to thank my friend Laurie E. For getting me to read the Bible and to start my daily worship. Before this I was a couch potato or always on my phone didn’t do much. Now that I have started my daily meditation with the Loed. I have so much energy to do the things I have procrastinated for so long. I feel like he is pointing me in a new direction of my life and I am happy for it. Praise God he is working in me and through me I know I have so much more to learn of him and his teachings and guidance. Thank you for this group. Have a Beautiful Day ❤️
It gives you the perspective and time to be able to focus on God and not all the other things in life.