Day 10, The Christmas Story, Gabriel and Mary

Good morning. Yesterday, we stopped at the place where Gabriel had come to Mary, and told her she was favored and what God was going to do in her by bringing Jesus our Messiah through her. After her confusion over how a virgin could have a child, Gabriel graciously explained further how it would happen. He even told her about Elizabeth, her relative, being six months pregnant in her old age. So, now, we wait for Mary’s response. What she is asked to do will alter the course of her life forever. If she had made any plans for the future, this would certainly change them. If she was worried about her reputation and harming the name of her family, this might be a big problem. If she was worried about the betrothal to Joseph and how in the world he would take this, this also would be a big problem. If she was planning on a house with a white picket fence and 2.3 children, this might affect the plan a little bit. If acceptance of the people around her is really high on her list, then this would be a problem. Everything she could think of in her life would be dramatically altered if she agreed to this. So... what was her response going to be?

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

WOW! Do you realize the significance of what she said? I don’t think Mary was superhuman. I believe she honestly at some point had all those things mentioned above flash through her mind. It is our human nature. And I believe God understands that. Mary was just as human as any of us. In Psalms 103 it says he knows us, knows our frame, knows we are only dust. He knows our human tendencies because he created them. There is no sin in that. The sin or blessing would be in the RESPONSE to what was asked of her. In the choice of whether to serve doubt or serve truth. And her response was, in essence, “I am your servant, Lord. Even with all these other questions coming at me right now, I am going to choose to believe you, I am going to choose to trust you, I choose to allow you my life, my body, all of me, for your plan and your purpose for this world. You, Most High, who will birth in me the Son of the Most High, are the Name above all Names, and you are over any name I will be labeled with, over any name of any person that doesn’t believe and ridicules and gossips about me, and you are the Name above the name of Doubt. ”
That, in itself, is a lesson that we could study and ponder for days and days! When God approaches us with his plan, his purpose, and it will dramatically (or even slightly) alter our plan, our purpose, what is our response? ? ? Moses complained that he couldn’t speak well, Sarah laughed because she was too old to have a baby, Zechariah doubted and needed proof. But Mary said, whatever you want, God, make it happen in me. God will never require this particular task of anyone again, but he will ask you to join him in his purpose in an area he has designed just for you to fit in as a piece of his puzzle. And you can laugh, start pointing out your weaknesses, doubt, ask for proof, say pick somebody else, or whatever response you choose. Or you can willingly bow in the presence of the Name above ALL names and allow him to place on you your garment of divine purpose!

“And then the angel left her.” So, Gabriel left. I am sure Mary was in awe and couldn’t do much at that point but have the angel’s words continually repeating in her head. Maybe it was now that the whole impact of what he said began to settle in. Maybe it was now that her mind started recalling scriptures taught to her from Isaiah about the Messiah coming to his people. You know how when anything really big or dramatic or traumatic or overwhelming happens, you spend the time that follows sorting through it, thinking about it over and over, playing it like a tape recorder again and again? I know I do. Maybe it was like when we read a Bible verse. The more you read it, then the more it says to you, the more the words become alive, the more you are reminded of other verses that correspond to it. The more it takes root in your heart.

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.


She left Nazareth a few days later and hurried to see Elizabeth in Judea. Maybe she told Joseph her experience before she left. We’ll look at Joseph tomorrow. But, regardless of whether she told anybody before she left, one thing is for sure. She wanted to go see Elizabeth, she needed to see her. Gabriel had mentioned her. She must talk to Elizabeth. Elizabeth would understand. Elizabeth would believe her. She needed this support. Don’t we all need the support of our Christian brothers and sisters, who we can confide in what the Lord is showing us and they confirm it, encourage us and believe us and pray for us? One of the best things you can do for your walk is to surround yourself with those who truly believe in and seek God, those people that will build up and not cast doubt and fear. Those that have a personal experience with God himself. Those that set themselves apart with the Lord, secluded with him and spending time with him to learn more of him. Those that will rejoice with you when God does something miraculous.

If you’ve ever done the monthly walk through Proverbs, you are aware of just how many verses allude to the importance of who we surround ourselves with. Today’s verse is another picture of that. We need our brothers and sisters. I believe God will even bring to mind for you the people that you need to align yourself with for support and growth and encouragement, and will also bring to mind those that will not do those things, that you should guard your heart from. Ask him to show you today who those people are. Ask him to show you if your walk is being effected by those you align yourself with. Do they bring doubt and negativity to your walk, or do they bring faith and encouragement and build you up? Now ... ask that same question of yourself? What is your influence on the people you are around? Are you the one that comes to mind when they need encouragement, need somebody to believe in them? Or are you the one they avoid and distance themselves from because they find in you negativity, discouragement, and unbelief?

I really want to be one that believes, that encourages and lifts up, that believes WITH GOD, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. That rejoices with them. That partners with them. I believe that if we know the Lord, that deep within our spirit, we all want to be that kind of person. That “Elizabeth” that is there and available, that has spent time alone with the Lord, that has experienced God’s provision and blessing in her own life in seemingly impossible circumstances, and is excited to pour herself into another life.

Enjoy your Friday as you seek to be both an open, available, trusting, believing “Mary”, and an encouraging, supportive, believing “Elizabeth”. And then watch how God works through you.

Teresa