She Said Yes
It was the middle of a seemingly ordinary day. I went about my work, daydreaming about marrying Joseph and the life we would have together. When I looked up, I saw an angel before me. I took a step back. “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you!” he said to me. I looked around, startled and confused, wondering what this was all about. “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God…” Favor with God? What? How do you know my name? But the angel wasn’t finished, “… you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of David. He will reign over Israel forever and his kingdom will never end!”
I stared at the angel, trying to process the words he had spoken to me. I laid my hand on my still flat belly, quickly realizing that what he said wasn’t even physically possible. “How can this possibly happen? Joseph and I are not married yet, and we haven’t….” The angel continued, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. This baby will be holy and will be the Son of God.” I stood there speechless. I knew the Messiah was coming, but never could have imagined he would come through me! Literally! Could this really be happening? The angel also told me that my cousin Elizabeth was also pregnant, even though she was well beyond child-bearing years. “Nothing is impossible with God,” he declared. My mind was still spinning. I took a second to gather myself, and then with a peace completely beyond human understanding, I said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be to me exactly as you have said.” And with that, the angel was gone.
Can you even imagine being Mary – barely a teenager, engaged to be married, still a virgin, and then met by an angel with the news of your own pregnancy? I have to wonder what Mary was thinking as she heard this message. I’m guessing she was a little freaked out. (I mean, who wouldn’t be?) She kept herself composed (which is more than I could have done!) as she responded to the angel with complete resolve. But I have to believe that in that moment, as well as throughout the forty weeks that followed, Mary experienced times of doubt and fear, questioning what in the world God was doing. Sure, she was overshadowed by the Spirit of God, but she was still human. And this was certainly beyond the realm of human understanding! It must have required daily surrender, a conscious choice of faith over fear, a continual commitment to believe and obey, especially as word got out and questions (as well as eyebrows) were raised. But she put her trust in the God of the impossible. And she was blessed because she believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.
How do you handle unexpected news? Seemingly impossible circumstances? Do you allow fear to overcome your mind, or do you find quick resolve? Do you worry about what other people will think, or do you talk to God about what He thinks? Can you go so far as to say like Mary, “Let it be exactly as you have said”? You may have to repeat those words over and over and over again, until your heart and your head believe it. Or you may just have to step out in faith. Our finite minds simply cannot fathom what God has planned. And most often we have no idea how our cooperation with God’s plan will affect the course of history. Mary said, “Yes,” and her obedience resulted in the incarnation of the Savior of the world! And she was blessed because she believed that the Lord would be true to His Word and faithful to do just as He said.
