Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38
A key factor in accepting God’s plan for us is trust. Do you trust God? If so, how far does that trust go? Too often our trust in God is colored more by our human relationships and our desires for information and comfort rather than the truth about who He is and His promises to us. We trust God with our salvation because the plan is clearly disclosed. However, God rarely provides the plan of our lives with exacting clarity and that is where trust comes in; trust in God’s attributes, His ability, His faithfulness, His promises, and His love. If I am honest, I have to admit that I have trust issues. Raised as a minister’s son in a denomination that was good at teaching truth about the attributes of God, but exhibited very little grace and did not address God’s loving plan for or lives, I was left with a very inaccurate view of God. Further, as one who lives in a sinful world, I like many of you, have endured a fair amount of harm from those that I thought that I could trust…especially those in the Christian community. When one couples a legalistic view of God with the pain inflicted by those close to us, it’s easy to allow our trust in God to erode. We forget that He is incapable of sin and truly desires the best for us. In that light, consider the story of Mary the mother of our Lord and Savior.
Unlike Joseph the son of Jacob who, but for couple of vague dreams, had little information about God’s plan for Him, Mary was visited by Gabriel and given the overview of the God’s design for her. When we read this story, we are filled with hope and joy…as we should be. However, to truly appreciate and learn from this story, we need to look at it in the context of Mary’s situation. She was told that she would conceive a son prior to her marriage in a culture that stoned people for fornication and adultery. Further, how would she convince Joseph and her parents that she had not sinned, but rather that the child was conceived by the “power of the Most High”? Fear of rejection and death would be enough to raise a fair amount of anxiety, yet her response is one of trust…amazing trust. In addition to God creating Mary for this purpose, let’s consider three key factors leading to her response: Gabriel’s message, what she knew about God, and what she was not told.
The message from God is brief but powerful as it is placed between a special salutation and a reminder. (Luke 1:26-38) Before laying out God’s plan, Gabriel greets Mary saying that she is favored and that God is with her. Being favored sets the tone and means that she has been chosen for honor and that it is for her good. “The Lord is with you” reminds her that in whatever is asked of her, she will not be alone. This got Mary’s attention because it was not a normal greeting. Consequently, she was perplexed and was pondering it as the Gabriel continues. Only after this encouragement is God’s will revealed: you will have a son, He will be great, He will be called the son of the Most High, He will inherit the throne of David and His kingdom will have no end. While this was a great honor, she would need to know that God was with her if she was to bear the king of the Jews under Roman rule. Finally, at the end of their meeting, Gabriel reminds Mary that nothing is impossible with God as he tells her that Elizabeth is bearing a child in her old age. While it may seem secondary, the reminder that God is able will undoubtedly carry her through many ordeals both marvelous and concerning.
Too often we forget how able God is. As Mary is told that she would conceive as no other woman would and that God’s design would succeed, her knowledge of God’s past acts would reinforce Gabriel’s parting words. She would remember how God: used the plagues of Egypt to free the Israelites; parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River; toppled the walls of Jericho; stopped the sun from setting at Joshua’s request; saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery oven without a singed hair; and saved Daniel in the Lion’s den just to name a few. All of these events defied the natural course of science proving that God can “do more than we are able to ask or imagine.”
What Gabriel does not say is as important as his message. He does not tell Mary that: they would have to flee to Egypt and leave all that they were accustomed to behind; all of the male children two years and under in Bethlehem and it’s vicinity would be killed due to the birth of her son; Christ would be betrayed by one of His disciples; or she would watch His crucifixion. I believe that this omission is a merciful means of keeping her focus and not prompting worry. What she is told gives her the eternal perspective that should be her focus. Yes there would be difficulty, sadness and pain, but the attention needed to be on God’s eternal purpose which is one of greatness and glory. By not giving her all of the details, she could live one day at a time in a manner consistent with Matthew 6:34 and Philippians 4:6 which tell us not to be anxious but rather take one day at a time presenting our needs and concerns to God with thankfulness and humility.
Having heard what Gabriel had to say, Mary only has one question. It does not concern further details, her safety, comfort or freedom from worry, but rather merely questions the science of it as no other woman had or would conceive a child as she would with Christ. Once that question is answered, she gives a simple but profound response: “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” In it she acknowledges that she is God’s servant willingly accepts the call that God has given. As a result is she is blessed because she “believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” (Luke 1:45) and she is moved to praise God (Luke 1:46-55). At the root of Mary’s acceptance, is her trust in God. She trusts that she is loved by God, that He is present with her, that He is able; and that His promise will be fulfilled. She trusts that His plan is a loving one despite the difficulties that may come.
I am grateful that God has used my illness to change my view of Him and allow me to see that He is trustworthy, loving, and able and has a plan for me. I am grateful that He has moved me to a Christian environment that has a balanced view of grace and truth. I am most grateful that He has been faithful in revealing His presence with me through timely scriptures, songs or words of encouragement to move me closer to Him and encourage me to trust Him fully. He knows my doubts and fears, and gently retrains my thoughts to align with His truth. I have not arrived and there is still much work to do, but I am on the right path. What about you? Are you able to trust God with every facet of your life and accept His plan for you? Do you trust in His love, His presence with you, His ability, and that His promises will be fulfilled? If not, I encourage you to humbly request that God would work in you to move you to that point and praise and thank Him for what He will do. If you do, you also understand that it is a process that often has to be repeated as new circumstances arise.
Whatever you are facing today, remember God’s admonition to you as His servant: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) God is trustworthy and able.