Luke 1-2:20
The picture for this post was drawn by my daughter, Gabi. I think she captured the moment perfectly on Joseph and Mary’s faces and I love the way baby Jesus is holding a tendril of His mother’s hair in His tiny hand……the hands that hold the world.
Last night as I watched “The Nativity Story”, I began to see things that I had noticed, but that didn’t really strike me at the time. If you read my posts, you will notice that I have been writing on hearing the Lord’s voice, listening, and obeying Him. Joseph and Mary are such an awesome example of two ordinary people who heard the angel of the Lord, listened and obeyed.
Most scholars agree that Mary was between 14 and 17 years old when the angel came to her and Joseph couldn’t have been much older, yet they heard the angel of the Lord and were willing to do whatever he asked, no matter what it cost them. They were teenagers and they were brave.
The Lord loves teenagers and young people. He says:
1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (NKJV)
No matter what people say against you….show them wrong. The Lord loves you, He knows your heart and He has awesome plans for you!
Teenagers and young adults get a bad rap from so called mature Christians. It slices crossways through Ron and my heart to hear people talking about how irresponsible and lazy and ……add a word, I am sure you have heard it. This is our word to you.
Proverbs 18:20, 21 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Quit speaking death to our young people! YOU be an example for them and don’t sit in the back of the sanctuary on your iPhones and iPads or be talking and laughing when the pastor is calling for people to come pray for someone. Be the one to offer a word of encouragement to a young person. (Encourage means to put courage into.) They get enough bashing out in the world without Christians adding to the agony. Help them to grow in the Lord and speak words of life over them. Share your triumphs and sorrows with them so they know they aren’t alone in the struggles that try so hard to pull them away from their Beloved. Share with them what the Lord is showing you and allow them the same privilege. If you will really, really listen to our young people, you will be blessed beyond anything you could imagine!
We went to Jubilee 2009 at Victory Life Church in Durant, Oklahoma and our daughter was so excited about the Youth there! She said to us later in the hotel, “They actually let me talk about the Lord like I know things here!” That is how it should be. Young people aren’t second class citizens or the scourge of the earth. They are amazing and they are people…..Godpeople.
Our teenager has incredible discernment and wisdom. She has mighty faith. We trust her and there are times we need her help. This past week, we have had some wild spiritual battles against my husband. On Tuesday night, I texted Gabi and asked her to call because we needed her help to pray for Ron. She called straight away and we told her the scoop, she prayed and all was well and right again. She has powerful revelation knowledge and she hears her Beloved’s voice very well.
Most of the work of the Lord was done by teens. David was a teen as were others in the Old Testament. The disciples were teens according to the scholars. The Lord loves teenagers and young people! A lot of the Christian teens I have had the pleasure of knowing are brave and have the God given ability to “shake off the dust” of the naysayers and press on in the Lord. They have hearts on fire for the Lord and are willing to step out and do whatever He asks no matter what.
I’d also like to mention how the Lord loves the forgotten and lonely, the lowly ones…….shepherds were the ones he chose to share His great joy and news with! I love Him so very much! What a great heart our Father has! Please reread the first two chapters of Luke and if you can, get “The Nativity Story” on DVD (The one with Keisha Castle-Hughes and Oscar Isaac as Mary and Joseph in it.) Ask Holy Spirit to show you the Father’s heart in this wonderful event that He planned from ages beyond age.
Teenagers, young people, forgotten, lonely and lowly…….praise You Jesus. Help us to disciple these beloved ones and raise them up to be mighty men and women in You. To You alone be all the honor and all the glory. Amen!
