I Am The Lord’s Servant

I Am The Lord’s Servant

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.” –Luke 1:38

“Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28). These were the first words of the angel Gabriel to Mary, the mother of Jesus. I can’t help but wonder if Mary felt God was showing her his disfavor rather than his favor that day. “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, “for God has decided to bless you! You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus” (verses 30-31). From our perspective, two thousand years later, it seems like great news! Immanuel, God with us! But imagine how it must have sounded to a teenage girl living in Hebrew culture, a betrothed woman with dreams of her own, a woman living a pure life of devotion to God. Surely what seems to us to be good news must have sounded, to her, like the worst news possible.

And we know what it is like to get bad news—news from the doctor that the test results are not good, bills in the mail that are bigger than our bank account, a phone call that begins, “There’s been an accident,” an angry voice mail from a child saying she doesn’t want to live by your rules anymore.

There were many ways Mary could have responded to the news she received. Selfishness: “God, you have to change this because this is not what I have planned for my life!” Self-pity: “God, this is not fair. My life is ruined.” Self-righteousness: “God, I’ve been a very good girl, and I certainly don’t deserve this!” But Mary chose none of these responses. Instead she said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants.” Mary submitted, welcoming the mysterious and unsettling plan God had for her life. Oh, how her ready submission must have pleased the heart of God!

I don’t know what news you’ve received or what news is coming, but I do know you have a choice in how you respond. You can choose selfishness, self-pity, self-righteousness. Or like Mary, you can see yourself as the Lord’s servant and choose to submit to whatever your Lord allows into your life. Would you choose to believe that God has decided to bless you even though, from your limited perspective, God’s plan for your future may seem like the worst news possible?

Lord, you are with me, and because I know you want to bless me, I want to trust you and your plans for my life that seem anything but favorable. Whatever you want, Lord, I’m your servant.

DIGGING DEEPER