Friday, December 2, 2011

Advent, Part 3

Luke 1:26-38 (Phillips)


Then, six months after Zacharias’ vision, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a Galilean town, Nazareth by name, to a young woman who was engaged to a man called Joseph. The girl’s name was Mary. The angel entered her room and said, “Greetings to you, Mary. O favoured one!—the Lord be with you!”


Mary was deeply perturbed at these words and wondered what such a greeting could possibly mean. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; God loves you dearly. You are going to be the mother of a son, and you will call him Jesus. He will be great and will be known as the Son of the most high. The Lord God will give him the throne of his forefather, David, and he will be king over the people of Jacob for ever. His reign shall never end.”


Then Mary spoke to the angel, “How can this be,” she said, “I am not married!”


But the angel made this reply to her—“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the most high will overshadow you. Your child will therefore be called holy—the Son of God. Your cousin Elisabeth has also conceived a son, old as she is. Indeed, this is the sixth month for her, a woman who was called barren. For no promise of God can fail to be fulfilled.”


“I belong to the Lord, body and soul,” replied Mary, “let it happen as you say.” And at this the angel left her.


(This is off-topic, but Mary was shocked that she could be a mother because she wasn’t married. That’s not an a protest I’m used to. I pretty much assume that unmarried people are in a position to become parents unless I hear otherwise, and that otherwise is always surprising!)


Mary doubted the angel’s promise at first. But the angel told her of another miraculous child given by God. Mary could go and check it out if her doubt lingered. This was proof, the angel said, that “no promise of God can fail to be fulfilled.” Hallelujah! What God has promised, he will do! In hunting the pages of Scripture, I continue to find that he has been trustworthy *so far.* The experience of so many over the years recording his trustworthiness imputes a future trustworthiness. He has accomplished so many rescues of all sorts when people have not seen a way through. Can we doubt that he will accomplish the Ultimate Rescue? That there will be a future with no more tears, no more death, no more sin?


Mary may not have seen the way through or believed that all the angel said could come to pass, but in faith, she told him, “I belong to the Lord, body and soul, let it happen as you say.” She was willing to accept whatever the Lord had for her. I am praying that I will also be willing to accept whatever the Lord has for me, whether it’s difficult or easy, big or little. I pray that my desires would line up with His.


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