Monday, December 16, 2024

Listen to the Word

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."   (Luke 1:38)

When Mary heard of God's plan to use her to give birth to his Son, she was understandably full of questions. But she quickly came to a point of unconditional obedience. Her words in Luke 1:38 set an example for us. She foreshadowed what Jesus taught us to pray in his model prayer: "Thy will be done." Mary got word that she was to be the Messiah's mom, and in spite of all the personal cost and the biological impossibilities, she said, "Whatever you say, Lord."

In Mary's case, that "whatever" included a long donkey ride during her third trimester. It included giving birth in a stable, with smelly shepherds showing up to check things out and total strangers from out of town called "Magi" throwing her first baby shower. A few years later, Mary's "whatever" included watching with pride as Jesus taught and healed and served, and watching with fear as the powers that be turned on him. For Mary, that "whatever" included the unspeakable grief of standing at the foot of a Roman cross as her son's blood soaked the ground at her feet, and that "whatever" included the indescribable joy of seeing him walking around alive and well three days after his death.

Where would your "whatever" lead?

Live the Word

Make Mary's words in Luke 1:38 your prayer today. If you can't quite honestly pray those words, ask God to help you to be willing to do whatever he wants.