Discouraged but not Defeated

So, I am going to be straight up with you. This week has sucked so far and it is only Tuesday. I am fighting a cold (the first cold of the semester and on finals week no less) and I have three finals. Two of those finals are Greek and a 2nd Timothy and Titus final so that will be fun.

But, I was praying to God a little bit ago and he hit me with something that I had forgotten. This week is not about finals or passing or failing. They are important but they are not the focus. You see, around 2000 years ago, a young girl from Nazareth was facing one of the most challenging tests of her life. This girl was living a normal life; she was going to be married to a nice guy and raise a family in small town Nazareth...but God changed that. He basically told this girl that he wanted her to bear the Savior of the world. This is a pretty big deal! But Mary's response was the best response anyone can give. "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

God calls people to take on tasks that appear overwhelming or terrifying. He called Noah to build an ark for a hundred years or so and be ridiculed, He called David to face his giant, He called Elijah to stand up to a king, He called Esther to save a nation, and he called this poor peasant girl to bear a Savior. He has called us to the tasks in front of us. For a lot of us right now that is finals. I can guarantee that some of you reading this would rather face Goliath then go and take an exam tomorrow morning. However, God has called us to this at this time and purpose. He has called me to Boise Bible College to prepare myself for ministry where I will face far worse challenges then a final exam.

What I am trying to say is this, if Mary of Nazareth could agree to bear the Savior of the world (as well as have her friends and family reject her, possibly stone her, ridicule her, ruin her family's name, and all that went with being pregnant out of wedlock in those days) then maybe we can put our beard on and take care of the task in front of us. It is going to be a pain. Personally, I am not really looking forward to a Greek Final tomorrow afternoon. That is not exactly my idea of the greatest day ever...but God has called me to it, and I need to say the same words that Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word."