Gospel Reading: Luke 1
Devotional Emphasis: Luke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s Servant,” Mary said. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angle left her.
The first chapter of Luke provides us with two birth announcements to people who were unlikely candidates to have children. First, Zechariah is told he and his wife Elizabeth will have a baby, but they have been unable to have a child. Second, Mary, who is engaged, but not married, will have a baby. Both Zechariah and Mary wonder as to how this will happen. Both end up remaining faithful to the news God gives them and they both sing songs of praise for what they see God doing in their lives and in the lives of Israel.
I have often wondered, “Why Mary?” The text is not explicit about the reasons for God choosing Mary. The anger Gabriel tells her she is “has found favor with God.” Perhaps she was just a really devote person who God liked and decided to make her the mother of Jesus. It could be that she was a virgin and God chose her to make a point that he could use anyone to accomplish his purposes; even a virgin can have a child.
In my own reading of this story I have concluded that Mary was just like you and I. She was a human being who struggled with similar things you and I struggle with. In some ways she lived in a different world from us, but we both worlds have their sets of difficulties. What makes Mary so special is that she said “yes” to God. Despite the way this announcement must of sounded to her, she was willing to be the person God has called her to be. I hope as we begin our Lenten journey through the gospels, we will learn to say yes we believe Jesus is telling us to do something. May we be the Lord’s Servant.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment