Luke 1:30

“Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”

Reading this passage in Luke chapter 1 this morning, I feel an empathetic indigence rise up in me for young Mary. First off, an angel just shows up at her house. She was probably doing her chores or whatever and then surprise! Here’s an angel. I wonder if he was the big glowing kind or if he looked like a regular guy…either way, the scripture says she was “troubled” and I’m sure she was! He tells her she’s blessed and highly favored among all women. He goes on to tell her that SHE’s GOING TO BE PREGNANT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. What?!?! That is nuts! Historians tells us that Mary could have been 13 or 14 when she gave birth to Jesus. What were you doing when you were 13 years old? I admit I was probably still playing with Barbies and playing house with my sister at 13 years old. I mean I had plenty of dreams that’s scared the bajeebers out of me at that age, but an angel appearing to me in my bedroom would have been the end of me. Somehow between the words of the angel, Joseph’s reassurance and her cousin Elizabeth’s own miraculous pregnancy and encouragement, Mary was able to accept the call and assignment that God had given her. And now, she’s known as the Mother of the Son of God, Jesus, our Savior! Wow!

Have you ever felt like Mary? Maybe an angel of the Lord hasn’t appeared to you proclaiming your destiny, but you know through the Holy Spirit whispering to your heart what it is that God wants you to do. He’s seen your faithfulness to Him, your servant heart and the desire to please Him with your life and He has a special assignment just for you to complete. Maybe you feel scared…unprepared, ill-equipped. Perhaps there’s even unbelief mixed in there. The assignment might seem impossible or just plain crazy. But God says, “Do not be afraid!” He has a plan and it’s going to be great, more than you can imagine. He’ll make a way for you to accomplish this purpose. He’ll give you Jospehs and Elizabeths along the way to confirm what is growing inside of you, come alongside of you and encourage you during the incubation stage and birth of the plan.

The most important part of Mary’s story is that even though she was afraid, she submitted to God’s will and surrendered as the servant of the Lord. God just wants our “yes.” If we just say yes, He’ll work out all the details. Don’t worry about provision, your reputation, your relationships or even your physical body. He’ll make a way when there seems to be no way. The angel said it best, “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

So today, let our prayer be…”Behold the servant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”