DAY 38: A Willing Servant . . . and More

“‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’” (Luke 1:38)

Mary’s reply to Gabriel’s life-altering announcement might have been in Luther’s mind the day he wrote his explanation to the petition in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done.” He assures us that the will of God will be done, “. . . but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.”  

Mary accepted God’s will for her life. You might say that Mary was willing to do immeasurably more than most of us would ever expect. But she responded, “May it be to me as you have said.”    

Mary could have resisted. She could have doubted (like Zechariah) or protested (like Moses) or thought God’s plans to use her were impossible (like Sarah). But instead, Mary accepted. Not because it made sense, not because it fit into her plan for her life, not because she clearly knew what the future would hold. No, it was actually in spite of all the above. Instead, Mary accepted God’s will as an act of faith – faith not in herself, but faith in God.  

How easy (or difficult) is it for you to say those words? “Lord, may it be to me as You have said.” How life would change if our response to God was inspired by such faith.  

How about the capital campaign that you are a part of right now? Is the Lord speaking to you? Is the Lord prompting you to offer a response that may seem almost as unreasonable (and yet there is really no comparison) as what God was asking of Mary? Is it possible for the Lord to be calling you to offer a sacrificial gift that simply requires a response of faith and obedience?  

Why not pray about this faith challenge and see if the Lord prompts a Mary kind of response from you: “May it be to me as you have said.”