Servanthood

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-38, emphasis mine)

One of the most humbling and challenging verses for me in all of Scripture is Luke 1:38. The angel Gabriel has just paid a surprise visit to young Mary, telling her that her plans to marry Joseph and live a typical Nazarene life have been radically altered. Now she will become pregnant, out of wedlock, and not even with her own fiance's baby but instead with the child of God Himself.

Although it takes a moment for the angel to convince her of the validity of this news, Mary does not try to argue her way out of it. She does not throw a hissy fit over this change in plans, nor does she seem to be fearful of what this pregnancy will do to her (and Joseph's) reputation.

Instead, she says, "I am the Lord's servant...May it be to me as you have said."

How I long to have that reaction to the Lord's leading in my life! I really wish that I could approach every challenge and change of (my) plans with the attitude that Mary had. I do not believe that this attitude came upon her in an instant, right when Gabriel appeared at her doorstep. I believe that she had cultivated this servant attitude throughout her young life, not knowing the magnitude of the plans that God had in store for her.

There have been many times when I have not reacted graciously and with a servant's heart when God announces a change in plans. I am trying to practice surrendering to Him in every aspect of my life, even the little areas, so that He can prepare me for bigger plans.