Mary Meditations (Luke 1:26-56)
Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered.
“May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Can you imagine Mary?
Can you imagine her growing up as a girl? Aspirations. Dreams.
Expectations she held. Expectations society held for a woman in her time?
Can you imagine Mary after being visited by that angel?
She was a peasant girl. Holding no important status in her community.
Just a girl.
A young girl betrothed to an honourable man.
And then…
Then a heavenly visitation.
A prophetic promise. An overwhelming promise.
An implantation of God’s dream.
God’s Son. God’s redemptive plan for humanity.
And she was to be a part of it.
Can you remember her response?
Oh, what a response!
Not, “But what will people think?”
Not, “I’m too young/small/inadequate/unqualified [insert excuse]!”
Just a simple question: “How?”
Then: “I am the Lord’s servant.”
Servant.
“May it be to me as you have said.”
May it be.
And only a few verses on, she writes and sings her own worship song to the Lord.
Oh, how I am challenged by this girl’s response. Her faith. Her attitude.
This servant who says “May it be…”
Servant.
Mary saw this as an opportunity to serve her Lord.
In a society that speaks so much of leadership, we must remember we too are
to be servants - the Lord’s servant -
No matter what our ‘status’ might be. No matter what our inconvenience might be.
May it be.
No arguments. No excuses.
We all can be guilty of arguing and/or making excuses, bargaining with God,
at times, can’t we?
But for Mary it was faith. Obedience. Humility.
I can imagine her nod as she accepted the divine word and the divine mission.
Oh, to respond like May!
How do we respond when the Lord speaks to us;
When it’s something that challenges us;
Is hard to believe; Is too big for us;
Is ‘impossible’; Is scary;
When it’s something we may be mocked for or criticised about?
Yes, I am challenged by Mary.
Lord, in 2016, whatever You say to me,
whatever you ask me to do,
wherever you ask me to go,
may my response be:
“I am the Lord’s servant.
May it be to me as you have said.”
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