In Luke chapter one, an angel visits a young teenage girl named Mary. Mary was engaged to a young man named Joseph. The angel tells Mary that she is blessed by God and she will give birth to a very special child. He is the Son of God and he will have a kingdom that will last forever. Mary replies by asking, “How can I have a baby…I’m a virgin?” Which is a pretty legitimate question to ask. But look at what the angel says in response:
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born 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 now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.’ Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.’” Think about how impossible this all sounds: an unknown virgin woman, in the middle of nowhere, is going to give birth to the Son of God. Yeah Right!? Mary’s world is about to be turned upside down. How will she explain her pregnancy to other people? I’m not sure…“the Holy Spirit made this happen” is going to be real convincing to Joseph or her parents. There is no doubt that most people thought Mary was crazy. I’m sure someone told her that she just ate some bad sushi and had a crazy dream. We also have to remember that her culture is not like our culture. A woman suspected of adultery could get stoned to death. In fact, Joseph (her fiancé) would have every right to make that request.
Mary’s calling would put her very life at risk. And yet, Mary believes the words of the angel and trusts that God can do the impossible…that God will use her in his plan of salvation. This is an impossible dream and yet Mary responds: “I am the Lord’s servant. I will be obedient to God’s calling.” Wouldn’t it be great if we had the same attitude and response as Mary? Where we could honestly say: “Lord, I don’t care where you want me to go or what you want me to do…but I’m in. I’m your servant.”
