Day 5: Mary Hears the Angel's Message
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.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “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. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on 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. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. - Luke 1:26-38
Devotional:
When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, her life changed forever. The news that she would bear the Messiah was overwhelming, but Mary listened and responded with a simple, “I am the Lord’s servant.” She trusted God even when she didn’t fully understand His plan. This story reminds us that God often speaks to us in unexpected ways and may call us to roles or purposes we never anticipated. Just like Mary, we may feel unqualified or uncertain, but God promises to equip those He calls. Mary’s response of faith is an invitation for us to say, “Yes, Lord,” even when His voice disrupts our expectations or plans.
Can you imagine Mary having to tell that story to her family? Or anyone? She was a teenage woman in a time with kids and women had little to now voice or power. Times have certainly changed for the better but at that time this wasn’t exactly a comforting message for her to be given. Yet Because she heard from the LORD she decided to be faithful.
I’ll admit there have been several times in my life where I heard God clearly urging me to do something that I had no desire to do. I wish I could tell you I always got over it and did what He’d have me do. But I didn’t. I’ll never really know what could have been in those times I said no. But in the times I overcame my fears and said “ok god, i'm your servant” I never regretted it. Ever. God did something big or showed me something special, or allowed me to be a part of something so profound that I can’t imagine my life without that moment. That’s what happens when our itty bitty faith gets coupled with God’s profound faithfulness. The question is, will you trust Him?
Reflection Questions:
How might God be calling you to trust Him in unexpected areas?
What would it look like for you to respond to God’s call with Mary’s trust and surrender?
Prayer Prompt:
Ask God to help you trust Him with what you don’t understand and to respond to His call with a heart of faith.