"So it was that while they were there the days were completed for her to be delivered." (Luke 2:6). Every year at Christmas time most of us who have been brought up in or are in some way still connected to the Christian faith hear this scripture being read referring to the story of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. I find the wording of this verse interesting in that it does not say that Jesus is "to be delivered" but rather that Mary is to be delivered. Jesus is being born, but Mary is the one being delivered. Every one of us has something unique to deliver to the world. For Mary, it was birthing Jesus.

Jesus was "being delivered" by being tempted in the wilderness, by giving his Sermon on the Mount saying things like "Love your neighbor as yourself and pray for those who curse you." Jesus was delivering his unique gift to the world when he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, "Not my will, but Thine;" and when he split the veil in the temple and tore down the middle wall of separation, reconnecting mankind to God. And finally, Jesus was delivered on the cross of Calvary.

Our culture has become so outwardly focused that we tend to look for our deliverance - the solution to our problems - somewhere outside ourselves when everything we need has already been placed inside us by Spirit. Our only job is to wake up to whatever that thing (that purpose, that destiny, that reason for which we were born) is and then commit ourselves to delivering that gift to the world.
Paradoxically, when you do this, you also deliver yourself. A line in a popular Christmas song called Mary Did You Know? says, "This child that you deliver will soon deliver you." The fact that we are all connected at our core means that whatever we do for others we also do for ourselves and vice versa. In our giving or delivering our gift to the world, we end up saving ourselves as well.

Maybe you're not sure yet what your unique gift is. My advice to you is...just start! The Bible instructs us to do whatever your hand finds to do with all your might. Look at whatever is right in front of you. Allow the compassion that rises in you for people or situations to force you into some sort of positive action. If you do what you know to do, God will drop into your heart what your ultimate purpose is and what you must deliver to the world.

The fulfillment of peace and joy you desire to experience can only be realized when you wake to your purpose, deliver it, and remain committed to the continued delivering of your gift to both yourself and those around you.

Make 2016 the year of your deliverance - Awake and Committed!