And Mary said,
Yes, I see it all now:
I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me
just as you say.
Then the angel left her.
—Luke 1:38, MSG
Okay, so I’m not about to take on the much-loved Christmas song that gets rave reviews each time Pentatonix harmonizes its lyrics. But I have been wondering lately about this young teenage girl who had this most supernatural visit. A supernatural encounter. A supernatural pregnancy. Really, everything Mary experienced was out of the norm.
The angel visits Mary, and she is told what is to become of her, this young virgin, not even married. And Mary is “greatly troubled at his words” (Luke 1:29, niv). The angel assuages her, telling her not to be frightened. Knowing she was favored by the God of the universe, it seems, made Mary eager to hear more, ready and able to follow his lead.
The Christmas story is remarkable when you think of the environment, the social context, the norms and mores of Jewish society. Even if the story were to take place in our time, it would be remarkable. A young teen carrying a child without any sexual intercourse. Hearing from an angelic being that this child is the son of God.
And Mary’s response? “Yup, I’m good with this! May it be so!”
How can she be that confident? How could we be that confident? It’s simple really. We see it in her unflinching answer: “I am the Lord’s.”
I hope that you too, when God comes to you with a calling, can be that positive in your response. I hope that all Christ followers, when confronted with whatever transpires in life—the supernatural, and even (and maybe especially) the merely natural—that our response would be one of both assurance and obedience: “I am the Lord’s. May it be so!” What life-changing words for a disciple!
By Don Pape, NavPress publisher.
The Christmas story in one convenient booklet? Got you covered in The Message of Christmas.
Looking for a great bedtime books for your family? Look no further than Good Night Tales.