Tuesday, December 21, 2021

MARY: THE RESOLUTION

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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”

Luke 1:38

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

It was all out on the table for Mary to consider, a proposition that presented quite a quandary to her.

The angel Gabriel had been sent by God to inform Mary that she would conceive by way of the Holy Spirit and give birth to a son who she would name Jesus. All this would happen before she was officially married to Joseph who she had been pledged to be married to.

Mary knew Jewish law and the ramifications of violating an engagement covenant which was essentially the same as if they were actually married. Infidelity was not tolerated with the penalty as severe as death and there would be no hiding the fact that Mary was pregnant; all would know and surely both she and Joseph would face a litany of scrutiny and questions.

And speaking of Joseph, what would his reaction be to all this? He would know that he wasn’t the one responsible for Mary’s pregnancy and how would he ever be able to look at her the same again? How could he ever believe or understand that she was visited by an angel who had proposed what was to happen?

Put yourself in Mary’s place and see where you mind would have been awash with so many things. It had to be overwhelmingly confusing, a time of uncertainty and unsurety as she tried to process everything she had just heard from the angel.

What would you have done if you were Mary? How would you have responded to the destiny that Gabriel had revealed?

I think if we’re all honest about it, we probably would have proceeded with more questions to Gabriel or even asked for some time to ponder the proposition and the implications it would bring. It would have been too much to try and work out without careful consideration.

But as we see in one verse today, Mary did none of that.

She simply responded in obedience.

“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

That was it.

There wasn’t any reservation. No uncertainty. No doubt like a much older and wiser Zechariah exhibited when he faced a similar improbable proposition (Luke 1:18).

There wasn’t any hesitation or pondering. Only words of compliance as Mary proclaimed her identity. For by her own words, she reveals that she wasn’t just a mere young virgin girl but rather the Lord’s servant and ready to accept whatever His will was for her.

This was Mary’s resolution to her quandary. It didn’t need to be complicated. She just needed to trust in a perfect God, to trust that His ways were perfect, to trust that His plans are perfect, and to trust that the outcomes of those plans are always perfect.

In the end translation, out of all the young Jewish virgins God could have chosen to bear and give birth to His son Jesus, He chose Mary. Perhaps there could have been no greater honor bestowed upon any woman.

Tomorrow, we’ll look closer at her servitude and how that would carry over to the blessed Son she would bear.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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