4 DECEMBER 2023

 

Surrender

“Behold, the bondslave of the Lord.” (Luke 1:38)

Imagine you’re a young girl – still in your teens – about to be married. Your future husband is highly respected in the community and considered to be a man of integrity, Godliness, and honour and you are also well regarded as a young woman of worth and genuine spirituality. Both you and your fiancé are looking forward to building a wonderful life and family together in the small town you live in – you may not be wealthy, but you have each other, and the love of family and friends.

This all changes dramatically on the day you are visited by an angel named Gabriel who comes with a disturbing message.

Disturbing because you are told that you will miraculously conceive and give birth to a son, while still a virgin. This will have huge ramifications for you and your fiancé! How will he respond when he hears the news? Will he believe your story about the angel with the message, or will he suspect you of concocting a wild tale to hide the fact of your unfaithfulness during the betrothal? (In those days a betrothal was considered so binding that it required a divorce to break it.)

Added to this is the shame you will bear being found pregnant out of wedlock along with the inevitable gossip that is so much a part of small-town life - the raised eyebrows and innuendo about your son’s parentage will follow you and him for the rest of your life.

What would you do?

If your name is Mary, the mother of Jesus, you freely surrender to God’s will: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” (Luke 1:38).

Despite what it would cost her – then and in the years to come – Mary entrusted herself completely to God and His will and through her surrender, the world was changed forever.

And as we shall see, her surrender put a song in her heart.

Read Luke 1:26-38. Is God asking you to surrender something this Christmas?