“Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”—Luke 1:28, NIV
A young woman, engaged to be married, was going about her daily business when an angel visited her.
Not just any angel.
It was Gabriel, who appeared to the ancient prophet Daniel to explain his visions. Centuries later Gabriel told Zechariah, an elderly priest, that his wife would give birth to John the Baptist.
Six months later, he visited a humble Jewish girl with this message: “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” (Luke 1:30).
That’s a pretty overwhelming message. Mary was shaken (who wouldn’t be?) and wondered how this would happen. She certainly never expected to see an angel or to receive special favors from heaven.
“How will this be,” Mary asked, “since I am a virgin?”
Gabriel explained, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. The holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”
The Lord was with Mary, Gabriel said. The Lord’s presence is the golden thread that runs through the lives of those God has touched and called. Mary is the ultimate example of honest humility and faith. She was not afraid to ask questions. Actually, I believe the Father loves when His children come to Him and ask questions like, “How will this be?” —then listen for an answer.
Mary listened, then responded, “I am the Lord’s servant…May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38, NIV).
Sometimes the Lord does something so unexpected, so beyond what we could imagine, that when He calls us, we have to ask and wonder, how will this be?
The question we have to ask ourselves is, can we surrender as Mary did?
We know her through the lens of history as the mother of Jesus and a revered figure in the Christian faith. But remember, she was a person like any of us, called by God. She was clearly strong enough to endure a public embarrassment (pregnant before her official marriage), take a long donkey ride to Bethlehem while pregnant, give birth in a stable for animals—and witness the suffering of her Son. She was the only person who was with Jesus from birth to death.
But Mary was exceptional for her absolute trust that God would carry her through.
When we are surprised, shaken, afraid, but determined to follow the Lord wherever He takes us, may we sing with Mary:
“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me” (Luke 1:46-49, NIV).
