IMAGINE – Mary hearing from heaven, with this history-defining announcement from God.
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
2 Chronicles 16:9 New International Version (NIV)
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Luke 1:26-33 (NIV)
“As both a woman and a young person (perhaps as young as fourteen) not yet married, Mary had virtually no social status.” -Craig Keener
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The Angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
Luke 1: 34-37 (NIV)
“The Holy Spirit will come upon Mary, enabling her (as the Spirit always does) to do and be more than she could by herself… at the same time ‘the power of the Most High’ will overshadow her…God himself, the creator, will surround her completely with his sovereign power… Mary is the supreme example of what always happens when God is at work by grace through human beings. God’s power from outside, and the indwelling Spirit within, together result in things being done which would have been unthinkable any other way.” -N.T. Wright
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
Luke 1: 38 (NIV)
The only thing He asks from us is to trust Him. All He asks for is faith.
“Preemptive Obedience” : She was totally surrendered and ready to do whatever He asked.
“If you love me, keep my commands.”
John 14:15 (NIV)
Give Him your unreserved trust, give him your total surrender, give him your preemptive obedience- “Lord, before you even ask, my answer will be yes, because I love you!”
Lord, help me to deepen my trust in you this Advent season, so that when you call me to something, my answer is a wholehearted “Yes!”
“I am the Lord’s servant, be it unto me according to your word.”