The angel spoke to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you shall call His name Yeshua."- Luke 1:30
Much about Mary and her relationship with God is revealed when we read
about her response to the angel. Imagine a bright, glowing angel showing
up at your bedside or in your living room and announcing, “You have found
favor with God.” Isn’t that something we all long to hear? Along with, “Well
done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21). I’m sure those words
caused Mary’s spirit to leap within her.
Upon the angel’s visit, Mary immediately obeyed God’s will in her life. She said, “Behold the servant of Adonai. Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Despite the shock of the encounter with the angel, Mary was not afraid to ask questions; however, before the angel departed, she chose obedience.
Think of what obedience meant to this young girl. She needed to confront Joseph and risk a divorce. She had to face her neighbors, whose imaginations must have run wild. She had to confront her parents and Joseph’s parents. But through all this confrontation and gossip, she was able to cling to the angel’s promise to her and to Joseph’s loyalty to her after his own angelic visit (Matthew 1:18–25). She remained obedient to God’s calling on her life.
I find it interesting that Mary obeyed without hesitation. Responding immediately and affirmatively to the Lord, she needed no time for deliberation. Obedience was her delight. Looking back at the times God has called me to do something, I have to ask, Did I react like Mary? Not all the time. There were moments of hesitation. I wonder what blessings from God I lost. Is slow obedience disobedience?
Mary obeyed without any selfish motives, looking to the future and what God would do in her life. She didn’t know how, and she didn’t know when, yet she didn’t try to figure everything out.
Commenting on Mary’s obedience, Anglican commentator William Barclay wrote, “Mary’s submission is a very lovely thing. ‘Whatever God says, I accept.’ Mary had learned to forget the world’s commonest prayer—‘ Your will be changed’—and to pray the world’s greatest prayer—‘ Your will be done.’ ”
Today we often regard obedience as a weakness. We feel we need to assert ourselves within the freedom to be “me.” Mary’s example should correct our thinking. She is a beautiful model of obedience. Mary joyfully accepted the will of the Father (Luke 1:46–56). In Scripture we can almost see that His will became her will. She willingly yielded to what God wanted for her instead of fighting for her self-defined life direction. Author and speaker Janet Chester Bly wrote about Mary, “Few in biblical history exhibit such immediate obedience and complete trust in God.”
