LUKE 1:38
Put yourself in Mary’s situation. You’re engaged (probably really excited about getting married), and your life is all set. Everything seems perfect. Then, suddenly, your whole world is turned upside down when an angel comes to you and tells you that you’re going to have a baby, and not just any baby—God’s Son. Wow! You try to process this information because it doesn’t make any sense. “Uh, how is this possible?” you ask in confusion, “I’m still a virgin.” The angel says that the Holy Spirit will make it possible. No one will believe this, you think. Will Joseph? What will people think of me? Will I still get married? If I were in that situation, I think I would have gone into shock and pleaded for God to choose someone else. I want God to use me, but not like this, please not like this. Mary’s response to this life-altering news was, “I am the Lord’s servant.” Such simple words but spoken with such faith. I pray that I can have faith like that. I don’t expect to be visited by an angel and get a direct message from God any time soon, but I know that there are things God wants me to do that I am afraid to do. The question is: Will you and I trust God? It seems so easy to say, but when the situation comes up, fear has a way of preventing us from obeying God. Mary is an outstanding example of extreme faith. She didn’t doubt or question … she submitted. She trusted, truly trusted.
Julia Postema, 16, Jonathan Edwards Academy, Erving, MA
I want to trust, I mean truly trust,
You, Lord. When You come to me and
ask me to do something I think is crazy, I want
to have faith like Mary’s. I want to say I am Your servant.