Luke 1:26-38 NLT - In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! " Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. "Don't be frightened, Mary," the angel told her, "for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!" Mary asked the angel, "But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin." The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she's already in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." And then the angel left.
I never get tired of reading this story. Can you imagine what Mary was feeling? She is going about life as a teenager in the village of Nazareth and all of a sudden an angel shows up and says he has a message from God for her. The scriptures say she was confused and disturbed. I think I would feel the same way. After reassuring her and telling her not to be afraid - the angel continues with the word from God that she had been chosen to impregnate her with the coming Messiah. I love her response... "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true." A simple statement filled with so much truth. As I read and re-read this story today I pondered on these words of Mary. They are filled with so much trust and faith in God and His promise to her. They are the words that should grace each of our hearts today. They are the words that should be our daily prayer - “I am willing to accept whatever he wants...” Many people I talk to say they had some experience like this as a child or as a teenager. It was a time when God called them and spoke destiny to their hearts. But... as they grew older they walked away from what was said over them. It is my prayer today that all of us would look back at the place where God challenged us and where God spoke direction to our lives. I want to be like Mary today with attitude of saying “God, I'll do whatever you want.” I pray that type of obedience will be upon us all today.
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