Signs of Grace

What a gift we have to be children of a loving God who knows us so well. How often we desire a sign from our Lord. We don’t want to ‘put the Lord to the test’ as Ahaz decries, but rather we just want direction. We yearn for peace in our decisions.

I think of Mary, and the gift that the Lord provided her when the angel appeared. Not only did he tell her all that wonderful stuff about the Holy Spirit coming upon her and giving her a child—the Son of God—to bear and raise, but He gave her an added bonus. He gave her knowledge of her cousin Elizabeth’s pregnancy.

That knowledge was such a gift. Her journey to be with Elizabeth, the recognition by Elizabeth that Mary was carrying our unborn Lord in her womb, and the miracle of Elizabeth’s own pregnancy, were all confirmations for Our Blessed Mother that the angel was legitimate, that she hadn’t just had a weird dream, that she wasn’t going insane.

Did Our Blessed Mother need such confirmations? Clearly not. She was submissive to our Lord from the beginning. Yet He gave her The Visitation and it no doubt served to further her resolve.

Are there areas in your life in which you need the Lord’s confirmation?

Are you tasked with responsibilities you question or loads that seem too heavy?

Our Lord knows you and He knows what you need today. He is giving us all direction, validation, confirmation, daily but many of us are too busy, to noisy, and to hurried to stop pay heed. So stop today. Look and listen for His love and His accept and His peace.

Take time today to really listen to Him speak to your heart. Pour out your fears and concerns and then just sit in the stillness. Look around you for your Lord’s grace and direction. It can come in many forms.

MaryRuth Hackett is a full-time wife and mother doing her best to teach her four children to love God and country. You can find out more about her here.