Dec 3 - Follow Without Hesitation

Follow Without Hesitation

Saturday, December 3, 2022

by Debbie Stauffer

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:26-38

Key Verse: Luke 1:38
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Imagine being Mary, a young virgin who was engaged to Joseph, suddenly being approached by the angel Gabriel.  We don't know if she & her family had heard anything about their relative Zechariah's encounter with an angel during his recent temple service.  We know that he lost his ability to speak until Elizabeth delivered John the Baptist because he doubted the angel's words. But it was well known that it had been over 400 years since the Jewish people had heard from GOD through a prophet. Here Mary was going about her daily duties and a heavenly being approached her and spoke very specifically to her!

Annunciation by Titian

Gabriel told her she was highly favored & that the Lord was with her!  We are told that Mary was greatly troubled by his words, but Gabriel explained to her what would take place. It doesn't seem to me that Mary had much time to consider Gabriel's words before she had to make a choice to either obey God's plan for her or to express doubt as Zechariah did.

Dr. David Jeremiah has a recent article pertaining to the Nativity that discusses Mary's reaction to Gabriel's visit.  He noted that there must have been something special about Mary for God to choose her to carry HIS child--the Savior of the world!  Mary's response to Gabriel so quickly indicates that "she was already living a life of submission to the will and ways of God." She did not take the time to consider the cost of her submission (that cost would be great in many ways), but submitted immediately to God's plan!  Then Gabriel left her.  He had come to deliver the message God had given him--& was able to leave Mary, knowing the message had been received and would be implemented without hesitation.

I want to be like Mary, so in love with the LORD that HE can count on me to quickly and  faithfully carry out the instructions HE has given me & equipped me to do. Today, we receive those instructions from the LORD through HIS holy word in the Bible.  I want to follow that WORD without hesitation, just like Mary did! 

Heavenly Father, Give me the strength to have the same trust in You that Mary had, as she awaited the birth of Jesus.  Amen