Luke 1:34-35
Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God."
Without a doubt, Mary experienced the Spirit's touch, miraculously bringing life to the one who would be called our Savior, the Son of God.
But what I want you to notice here are the words used by the angel to describe this touch of the Spirit. It was to be an overshadowing. Certainly not a word used much today, but appropriate to understand how the Spirit works in our lives.
Overshadow implies a surrounding or covering. It is like the atonement of God's grace poured on us to cover our sins. While our sins still remain, we are fully covered in Christ's blood. We've been overshadowed in God's grace!
When the Spirit comes upon a believer in power, it is always as an overshadowing, the outpouring of God's presence as an act of God's grace. When Mary was overshadowed by the Spirit, God's will completely covered her life, allowing the Spirit to move in her in power.
That's what I want in my life and pray would come upon every believer. That we would be so overshadowed by the Spirit's touch that our lives would be surrendered to God's will in power. When people see me, I want them to no longer see me, but to see the God whose life now overshadows my own.
An overshadowing begins with a surrendering to God's will. Ever wonder what would have happened if Mary had refused the Spirit? I bet God would have moved on. An overshadowing always requires the surrender of our hearts to God's will.
Unfortunately, we too often find ourselves unwilling to be overshadowed by the Spirit's touch. While we want the Spirit's power, but we're not that keen to surrendering to the God's will. Ever wonder what happens when you refuse the Spirit's overshadowing? The same that would have happened to Mary. I bet we lose the blessing of living according to God's will!
LORD JESUS
May I always be willing to surrender to your overshadowing presence so that my life will be lived in power according to your will. Amen.
May God's will surround you and direct you.
ReplyDeleteTerry Shuart