Part 2 of 3 on the messages from the angels bringing news of Jesus’ birth.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:26-28 New International Version
Several months after sending Gabriel to Zechariah, God sent him to a young woman in the small town of Nazareth in the district of Galilee. She was pledged to marry a man named Joseph, a construction tradesman (assuming Jesus followed a normal path of apprenticing in his father’s trade – Mark 6:3). The place where she lived and her humble circumstances may have made her seem insignificant to the world around her, but Gabriel greets her as “highly favored” and tells her “The Lord is with you” and that she will give birth to a child to be named Jesus, or “Jehovah is Salvation”.
Her response, like Zechariah’s, was to question how this could happen. Since her marriage to Joseph was not yet completed and she was still a virgin, it would seem impossible for her to be pregnant. Gabriel explains that the Holy Spirit and the Most High will overshadow her and the child will be born the Son of God. He also mentions her relative Elizabeth who will also give birth in a different impossible situation: being unable to conceive. His reason for her to believe this is “for no word from God will ever fail.” (Luke 1:37)
However, unlike Zechariah, her response was not of unbelief.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Luke 1:38 New International Version
As a not-yet-married woman facing possible rejection by her future husband, family and community, her response was to affirm that she was the Lord’s servant and to accept that the message from the angel would be fulfilled. Her response was one of surrendering to God’s will.
As we end the year and celebrate the miracle of Jesus’ birth, may our hearts be like Mary’s, accepting God’s Word humbly, as a servant. It’s been a challenging year and at times may have been difficult to see what God’s will is for our lives. As we look toward a new year, let’s have the heart of Mary and surrender to His will so that he can be near us through his Son, or Immanuel, which means “God with us”(Matthew 1:23).
Take time today to write down ways you have been called to serve God in the coming year. Pray to have a surrendered heart and to know that God is with you. You are highly favored! God sent his Son so that He could be near you, and this is the greatest gift you could receive.