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. (Luke 1:30-31)
A simple girl of Nazareth, how surprised Mary must have been at her heavenly visitor! And how confusing were his words. A child? Impossible! I can imagine how confused she was. Her fear was understandable, at least from a human perspective.
Mary was from a small town. In most small towns, everyone knows you and they know your business. What would they say about her being pregnant and unmarried? Would they ridicule her or would they speak ill of her family? What would Joseph say, since she was engaged to be married to him? I am sure all of these thoughts ran through her mind.
When things happen we do not expect, we sometimes worry about our future. Mary may have wondered how she would raise a son without a husband. In the end, she put aside her logical thinking and surrendered herself to belief in a God who could do anything. That is what believing is all about. At some point, we must surrender ourselves to God and his way of doing things.
Mary is a wonderful a reminder to us during Advent. Many people are facing fears of all kinds during this season. Some fear failure, others fear not finding employment, still others fear an uncertain future. I recently talked to a woman whose husband lost his job several months ago and she told me that he interviewed for a position and she is hoping he will soon get an offer. There was a hint of fear in her voice that it wouldn’t happen: What will our future look like if he doesn’t hear something positive? I didn’t think to remind her of Mary’s initial apprehension. Once she thought about her life being in God’s hands, her fears turned into a confident trust. It is natural to be concerned about our future, but God has shown us time after time that he will be with us as we face the challenges and setbacks of life.
Christmas is the season to believe. We oftentimes need a reminder that we are serving the same God who sent the angel to talk to Mary, to assure her that she had found favor. The Bible does not give us other details of their conversation, but it is certain that she understood that his will took precedent over her concerns.
That is still true today. This is the season to believe. It is a season to believe that all things are possible and that God can handle all of our fears and lead us into a brighter future. Our job is to yield to him and believe.
Prayer point: Take the challenges your are facing and give them over to the Lord. Give them over to prayer. He can handle whatever you need him to handle. Confess your belief in him during this holy season. Send a prayer request and be comforted that through God all things are possible. Christmas is proof.
