By Don Thomas, Senior Pastor Central Christian Church
Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” Luke 1:38 (Living Bible)
Three simple words…but they changed the course of human history! Mary was trying to make sense of what she was seeing and hearing! An Angel-perhaps the Arch Angel Michael-was telling her that Jehovah God had chosen her for a very special mission. He was speaking to her…and she was not dead! Then she was told that she would have a baby. And not just any baby…THE Baby!
Her response could have been denial. She could have seen all the opposition and the hardship this baby would bring…and said NO! She could have laughed and said, “This dream is crazy! I must have had too much pizza last night!” She could have just fought back and said that she was not capable nor did she want this baby. Any of those responses would have been completely understandable.
But those three words changed everything: “I AM WILLING.” A teenage mother, from poverty and anonymity…yet she was willing to do what the Angel said, and what our God said! That took an AMAZING amount of trust! She couldn’t see the outcome…she had no guarantees that it would be easy. She was given very little details at all…yet she trusted and acted.
More often than not, God does not reveal His plans right away! We often don’t see the “endgame” of what He is doing. I doubt Mary did! We see the now…yet He sees the forever. He walks about in time like we walk around in the living room. He sees more than we do…and He is under no obligation to SHOW us the blueprints of what He is doing. He’s looking for people that will trust Him WITHOUT all the details!
I am willing. What an incredible testimony! Mary listens to the words from the Angel…and her first response is: “LET’S DO THIS!” She knew that her IDENTITY was “I am the Lord’s servant.” So she ACTED on that Identity…and change the face of human history!
Can you say those 3 words? Do you recognize your identity as a “Servant of the Most High King”? Mary even added to her statement with this: “May everything you have said about me come true.” Not only did she LISTEN…but she ACTED on faith! So I ask again: Can you say those 3 words?
As we celebrate the birth of the baby that Angel promised to Mary…may we look at the hurting in our world and in our neighborhoods…and say “I AM WILLING!” I am willing to go where you need me, Lord. I am willing to talk to people about You! I am WILLING to change how I look at people of color or people dealing with poverty…and I am WILLING to love on them, the way You love on me!
