4/24

Luke 1:34-35,38

34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" 35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon 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.

38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.


Gabriel's next visit was to Mary. This must have been the most exciting mission he'd been sent on up to that time. He tells this young woman that God has highly favored her. Then he gives her the familiar angelic greeting, "Fear not." It seems these magnificent creatures are so awesome that they must speak that to every human they encounter. She is told that she had found favor with God and that she would have a son who was to be named Jesus (the salvation of Jehovah). That child would inherit David's throne and reign forever.

Women of that day prayed to be the mother of the Messiah. If they understood that the Messiah would suffer and die before the throne of David was reestablished, they might not have been so desirous of that honor.

Mary asks how it is even possible. Though she is engaged to Joseph, she has not been with a man. Gabriel tells her the child will be conceived of the Holy Spirit, and thus He will be called the Son of God. He was to be born of a woman, and yet that conception was through the working of the Holy Spirit.

Then we see why God chose this young woman. To that incredible proposal she responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." She would face ridicule and potentially be stoned because people would think that she had been unfaithful to her fianc?e. What would he think? Yet at the root of her answer is the reason she accepted the task. "I am the Lord's servant." The issue is not what people think or how I will come through, the issue is my relationship with God. I am His servant. It is His to decide what role I am to play in His story. I yield my life to His plan.

Consider: Do I have Mary's attitude?