Grateful Obedience

March 24

Numbers 25

Psalm 37:7-13

Proverbs 8:32-33

Luke 1:26-56

Grateful Obedience

“’I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’  Then the angel left her.”  Luke 1:38 NIV

Mary was a teenaged girl (probably around 15-16 years old), living in Nazareth.  She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph.  She was just going about her everyday life when her world changed forever.  Like any teenaged girl, she had plans, dreams, hopes for the future.  All of that changed in one night.  The angel Gabriel was sent to Mary to deliver a message.  He told her God had chosen to favor her, not because of her actions or any virtue on her part.  She would conceive, bear a Son and call Him Jesus.  He would be great, the Son of the Most High God, given the throne of David, and reign forever.  The Holy Spirit would come on her, the power of the Most High would overshadow her, and the Child would be holy, the Son of God. 

Mary responded by asking the most logical question, “How can this be since I am a virgin?”  She didn’t complain, offer excuses, ask him to find someone else, or even doubt that it was true.  She only wanted to know how it was possible and how it was going to happen.   Mary had grown up in the Jewish faith.  All of her life, she had heard about the Messiah who was going to come to rescue her people and establish His kingdom on earth.  Their view of the Messiah was not accurate.  They expected Him to come as a conquering hero who was going to rule and reign on earth.  Mary likely did not understand what the angel was telling her.  I’m sure she had lots of questions.  We aren’t told how she felt or what she was thinking.  We are not given any insight into what was going on in her mind.  This is probably intentional.  We are told what we need to know.  We are told that she obeyed.  The angel did not tell her details about Jesus’ life or her role in raising the Son of God.  He didn’t give her a play book or lay it all out with a timeline and  goals.  He didn’t give her a book, “What to Expect When You are Expecting the Son of God.”  Gabriel told her she was going to have a baby and He was going to be the Son of God.  She said, “I am the Lord’s servant.  Let your word to me by fulfilled.”  She said, “Yes.”  A “bondservant” is a legal slave who is bought at a price and belongs to the master.  However, he serves not because he has no choice, he serves because of the love the master has shown him and the love that he has for the master.  The bondservant gladly serves the master living within the master’s resources, on the master’s schedule and doing whatever the master says.  Mary is acknowledging that she willingly obeys whatever God tells her to do because her life is not her own, it belongs to God and she is completely under His control.  In verses 46-55, Mary sings a beautiful song expressing her love and gratitude to God for the privilege of bearing His Son.  She has an attitude of grateful obedience.  Is that our response to God when we are given the privilege of serving Him?