Behold, the bondservant of the Lord.
Be it done to me according to your word.
Luke 1: 26-38
Last week I wrote about Moses and the many excuses and “what ifs” he offered when the angel of the Lord spoke to him in the burning bush and told him he had been chosen to lead God’s people out of slavery in Egypt. I also mentioned Gideon and Jeremiah and their initial excuses about not being qualified to do what the Lord was asking.
This week I want to focus on the experience of Mary with the angel Gabriel from Luke 1:26-38. She was greeted by Gabriel with this message from God:
“Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you. Do not be afraid, for you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and His name will be Jesus. He will be great, the Son of the Most High. The Lord will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign forever and His kingdom will have no end.”
Think about Mary’s situation and what she might have given as excuses. She could have mentioned that she was engaged to Joseph, and what would he think of her if she became pregnant before they were married. She could have brought up the fact that she would bring shame to herself and to her family. She could have mentioned that she was so young and had no experience raising a child, let alone the responsibility of raising the Son of God!
Instead, she only asked the simple question, “How can this be, since I’ve never been intimate with a man?” Gabriel told her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the Most High will overshadow her, and the baby will be called the Son of God.
I love Mary’s response of absolute trust in God: “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your Word.” (A bondslave was someone who could have been set free, but they chose to stay in service to the family because they loved the family and wanted to stay.) So Mary was declaring her choice to follow God, no matter what, and to commit her life to His purpose for her.
Mary’s response inspired me to think about my own life. The Holy Spirit came upon her and created new life – the birth of Jesus. It is the same Holy Spirit who comes to live in every person who believes in Jesus and receives Him as their Savior and Lord. The Holy Spirit creates in us new spiritual life. He will never leave us! And as we learn to depend on Him completely for everything in our daily life, we can enjoy peace in His presence, His strength in our weakness, His clear direction for our guidance. And He is our guarantee, the seal of God’s promise of our eternal salvation (Ephesians 1:13).
This Christmas season is a special time to re-evaluate our relationship with the Lord. I ask myself, “Am I serving Him out of duty or habit or just because someone is expecting me to serve? When God calls me to do something for Him, do I offer excuses about not being qualified? Maybe the timing isn’t really convenient for me.”
I want a heart to serve the Lord out of love, trust, and unshakeable faith. I want to say to the Lord just as Mary said to the angel: “Behold, the bondservant of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word.”
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this week, let’s give Him the gift of our heart that is surrendered to Him in complete faith and trust and love, ready to do whatever He asks us to do, to follow wherever He leads.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
What is God calling you to do at this time in your life?
Do you have any excuses for not doing what He is asking you to do?
Are you able to put your complete trust in the Holy Spirit to enable you to do what He is asking?
How are you encouraged as you consider Mary’s response?
Thank you, Sherrilyn! Oh, may God give each of us the sweet trust and submission that Mary exemplified. When God asks us to do things that look good to other people, it is easier to comply. However, when like Mary, it causes gossip, misunderstanding, and criticism, it becomes more difficult to bow in submission to what God calls us to do. I find these COVID restrictions very difficult because it doesn’t seem like this is God doing this. However, God does call me to honor my husband so I want Mary’s attitude in my heart even in this difficult time.