ACCORDING TO THY WORD
Luke 1:30-33
Let me set the scene: Mary was
a young, devout, Jewish girl going about her daily chores. She was pledged to
marry a man named Joseph, but they were not even to the point of setting the
wedding date. An angel suddenly appeared out of nowhere—not the norm in the
obscure village of Nazareth or anywhere else for that matter. Mary shivered
with fear because, in reality, angels are scary. The angel’s opening line is
that of most angels when they appear to mere humans, “Fear not.” Just when she
is feeling a little bit better about the situation, he drops a bombshell on
her. You’re going to be pregnant! And this is going to be no ordinary baby.
Gabriel made it abundantly clear that she was to bear the Messiah. First, Mary
was to name her baby “Jesus” meaning “Jehovah is generous. Jehovah saves.” Then
he said that Jesus would be called “Son of the Highest” meaning He would be
God’s Son as foretold in Psalm 2:7. He tops it off by declaring that her son
would reign on David’s throne forever and ever fulfilling the prophecies of
Jeremiah 23:5 and Isaiah 9:6-7. If you
read on a few verses in Luke chapter one, you will see that Mary was too
overwhelmed to take all this in. She asked how this could happen since she was
a virgin—a logical question from a human standpoint—but this was a mighty angel
of God she was talking to. Gabriel patiently explained that God’s Holy Spirit
would accomplish placing the embryo in her womb and that with God nothing is
impossible. Then in Luke 1:38, we have Mary’s beautiful response to this unsettling
announcement, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy
word. And the angel departed from her.”
God reveals His
purposes for believers in His word, through godly preaching, and by the
prompting of His Holy Spirit within. Mary was asked to risk her reputation and
her relationship with Joseph and even give up her rights to her own body in
order to carry God’s Son in her womb. None of us will be asked to sacrifice in
that same way. However, whatever God is calling us to do, I pray we will humbly
reply, “Be it done unto me according to thy word.” Mary did not achieve fame or
fortune in her lifetime but has been remembered with reverence throughout
history. We may receive no recognition for our obedience to God while we reside
on this ball called earth. However, in Heaven, may we hear “Well done, thou
good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).
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