Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/1056515
26 22 Rejoicing in Life' s Detours Alicia Duprée, MDiv, MA Alumna "'I AM THE LORD'S SERVANT,' MARY ANSWERED. 'MAY YOUR WORD TO ME BE FULFILLED.'" - LUKE 1:38 L ife rarely turns out the way we expect. Yet we spend much of it being disappointed when life does not go according to our plans. I have long been an obsessive planner, fixating on contingencies for my contingencies. But over the last 14 years, I have learned that God might have a different trajectory in mind for my life than I do. I have also discovered that what feels like a painful, unplanned detour can grow to become an incredible blessing. After college I sustained injuries during my time in the Army. Consequently I was medically retired in 2007, and I have lived with chronic pain and fatigue ever since. When it first hit me that life as I knew it had changed forever, I felt like my life was over. But over time I gave my disappointment and anger to God and asked Him to work through my new circumstances. As a result, I began to grow exponentially in my walk with Christ and started seeing God work in my life in startling new ways. I even began to find joy in the life I never would have chosen for myself. I aspire to Mary's quiet and confident response to the angel's stunning news that she would bear the Savior (Luke 1:28–38). She simply concluded, "I am the Lord's servant. … May your word to me be fulfilled," despite the fact that she had no husband, no money, and no status. In today's culture, it is easy to overlook the fact that pregnancy out of wedlock meant ruination for a woman's reputation and, therefore, her life. Yet Mary not only faithfully accepted God's shocking plans for her life, but just a few verses later she went even further to deliver a beautiful hymn praising God for how He had taken care of her and His people (vv. 46–55). Mary not only submitted to God's radical detour for her life—one that could have cost her everything by the world's standards—she rejoiced in it (v. 47)! Take a moment to ask yourself this question today: What detour has God permitted in my life that I could seek to not only accept, but also in which I could rejoice? 21 December