You can tell a lot about a person by who surrounds them. Jesus was surrounded by both men and women, and the women around him were faithful friends. He was encircled by women who knew him, who learned from him, who raised him, and who trusted him. These women followed and sacrificed, they cried out and asked questions, they believed and did the unbelievable. These women were ordinary but made extraordinary by Jesus. He lifted them up, raised up their voices, healed their bodies, and placed upon them value, worth, and authority. He loved these women, and he loves you. Each of these women was uniquely created and called to a specific purpose in the life of Jesus as well as for the sake of those in their communities and even for us today.
Through the Eyes of Women
For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Watch Session One: Jesus Equips the Ordinary
favored one
First among these women was Mary, Jesus’s mother. Mary, who had no accolades or family line. Mary, whose identity was “highly favored.” In Luke 1, Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Joseph are all given identities that have to do with their family names as well as their character and social situations. Mary is simply called “highly favored” or “favored one”—twice (Luke 1:28, 30)! Mary’s identity is repeated as she receives the news that she will carry the Son of the Most High. Mary saw her identity through the eyes of God. As the angel repeated her identity to her, so we often need our identity repeated to us: beloved, delighted in, created in God’s image and so much more.
rooted surrender
As Mary was strengthened in identity and rich in faith, she chose surrender to God (Luke 1:46–55). She said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). She chose surrender and trust. She believed that whatever God said, God would do. The surrender is found in “let it be” and the trust is found in “according to your word.” She trusted who God said he was, and she trusted that God would fulfill his Word. Mary had a humble confidence. Like Mary, our surrender is rooted in believing God’s Word. Do we know and believe God’s words to us?
our names
Mary’s identity was grounded in how God saw her. Yours is the same. How does God see you? What does God call you? Do you hear it? Can you see it? God’s Word says many things about you and your name. The psalmist talked about how his soul knew God’s works were wonderful (Psalm 139:13–14). How about you? Does your soul know that God’s works are wonderful? Or do you use different names for yourself? Names that shame. Names that turn you in on yourself. Names that destroy you from the inside out.
Mary’s identity was grounded in how God saw her. Yours is the same. How does God see you?
Daily Question
What names do you use to identify yourself? If there are names that aren’t from God, ask him to replace those names with truth so you might know your name and be able to respond to him with the humble confidence of Mary.
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I AM: Candace, chosen, daughter of the King, beloved, righteous in His grace, equipped, compassionate, courageous, creative, strong, light, love and His one of a kind craftsmanship, made in His image!
Though I still catch myself speaking lies about who I truly am sometimes, I’ve gotten much quicker about discrediting those lies with God’s truth right away! It used to be that I could easily get bogged down by lies I told myself about my identity-now I’m learning to trust the Holy Spirit’s prompting when I’m misidentifying myself! When I say hurtful things about or to myself, it doesn’t feel right, it doesn’t settle in well with my spirit, I’m not willing to receive it anymore! The Spirit in me is discerning those lies and awakening my soul to truth! I now stop and take the time filter those lies through God’s truth and re-speak His truth over myself! ?????
Beloved of God. Child of the living God. Blessed, loved.
These are the names I know to be true, but at times I don’t feel like I am these things.
Child of God
Unworthy
Lazy
God knows that I struggle daily with the names I identify with. But each day I wake up renewed and trusting that one day I will be fully confident in the being called Beloved
Thank you for you transparency. I can relate to your response.
I feel like I have many names for myself and some are good and others are not. Really comes down to the day that I am having and how i am feeling about the situations around me. But I know that no matter what type of mood that I am in or whats going on around me I need to listen as Mary did and hear my true name from Him. I am hoping that after the six week study I will be able to hear is voice more clearly with the name that He calls me.
Struck by the “Humble Confidence” of Mary. She knew who’s she was and what she was not just in her mind but also it was deeply rooted in her heart! There was a connection:). I know a lot about Who God is and Who’s he says I am and that I am Loved and Chosen and Cherished, and Wonderfully made, a Daughter of the King…… but do I really believe it in my heart, are those truths deeply rooted in my soul! Praying for that humble confidence of Mary that was rooted in Who God is! ?
Since last Wednesday I having spent most of my time outside worshipping, reading, and writing. God told me that I was kind, chosen, warrior, learned, researcher. I have thought I wasn’t good enough, rejected, different from the human race. Like really bad stuff about myself
I am Michaela and I am strong, beautiful (created in God’s image), confident in Jesus (working on being confident in who He has made me to be :)). I am wonderfully complex, protected, beloved, above and not beneath, the lender and not the borrower, wise, worthy, valued, created and being cultivated for greatness, set apart for God’s purpose, delightful, and chosen. You are also all of these things, we are made these things through relationship with Jesus. I am praying that we would all be able to step into that more each day, encouraging others to do the same.
Mary Elizabeth
Meb
sister
Daughter of the King
Beloved
Mimi
Meb-in-law
Teacher
Helper! I love helping my Church family and friends. If anyone needs to go somewhere or needs to anything I am so thankful that I can help.
I believe God brought me to Bartlesville to be a helper.