WEEK 13 – DAY 2

MARY TO CARRY MESSIAH

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. Luke 1:32

Mary was a young, devout, Jewish girl going about her chores. She was pledged to marry a man named Joseph but had not yet set date. An angel suddenly appeared—not the norm in the obscure village of Nazareth or anywhere else for that matter. Mary shivered with fear because angels are scary. The angel’s opening line was, “Fear not.” Just when she was feeling a bit better about the situation, he dropped this bombshell, “You’re going to be pregnant! And this is going to be no ordinary baby.” Gabriel made it abundantly clear that she was to bear the Messiah. Mary was to name her baby “Jesus” meaning “Jehovah is generous. Jehovah saves.” Then he said Jesus would be called “Son of the Highest” meaning He would be God’s Son as foretold in Psalm 2:7. He topped it off by declaring that her son would reign on David’s throne forever, fulfilling the prophecies of Jeremiah 23:5 and Isaiah 9:6-7. Mary was too overwhelmed to take all this in. She asked how this could happen since she was a virgin—a logical question from a human standpoint. Gabriel patiently explained that God’s Holy Spirit would accomplish placing the embryo in her womb and that with God nothing is impossible. Then in Luke 1:38, we have Mary’s beautiful response to this unsettling announcement, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” God reveals His purposes for believers in His word, godly preaching, and the prompting of His Holy Spirit within. Mary was asked to risk her reputation and her relationship with Joseph in order to carry God’s Son in her womb. None of us will be asked to sacrifice in that same way. However, whatever God is calling us to do, I pray we will humbly reply, “Be it done unto me according to thy word.” Mary did not achieve fame or fortune in her lifetime but has been remembered with reverence throughout history.

Lord, may we humbly submit to Your will for us; and in Heaven, may we hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).