Servant of the Lord

Often this time of the year, we have busy schedules and things to get done before Christmas is here. I don’t know about you but this year has been different in trying to get things done before Christmas. I find myself losing sight of Christmas coming and only able to focus on getting through the day in front of me. It may sound silly but in some ways I can’t focus on Christmas because I have so much in front of me that it seems far away. Today’s passage is a special one. It is about Mary’s encounter withe the angel Gabriel who brought to her some incredible news of something that would happen. It was perplexing to her because she didn’t know how to make it happen. Yet her response was “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” I often wonder why Zechariah earlier in Luke has a different reaction and a different outcome to the encounter. Zechariah questioned the angel and was struck mute until after the child was born. Mary questioned and was answered. Perhaps Mary’s response indicates two different hearts in these stories. One was a doubting one and one was a servant heart. Listen to the passage of Luke 1:26-38

Luke 1:26–38 NRSV

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

The encounter between Mary and Gabriel is one mixed with concern and awe. At first there was concern over who was greeting Mary in such a way. Why was she being called the favored one? What did this greeting intend to convey to her. This is not how a female would have been greeted, let alone someone who was not significant in anyone else’s eyes.

I can imagine the look on her face spoke to this puzzlement and her expression on her face probably told the angel Gabriel she was perplexed by this unusual greeting. What was about follow such an unusual greeting and introduction? Could you imagine being greeted in such a way? What if an angel or even another human being greeted you in such a way? I would suspect that it would not only catch us off guard but we would certainly be wondering what is about to be said or asked of us.

Gabriel explains this greeting. She has found favor with God, this is why she was greeted in such a way. I don’t think it is a stretch of imagination that we all don’t carry around that sense of feeling that we have found favor with God. It is probably easier to find ways in which we feel like we have probably fallen out of favor with God.

Gabriel then proceeds to tell her some incredible news. She would bear a son, Jesus who will become ruler over all. This son will be very special and not like any other son born on this earth. This son will reign forever! This in amazing news! Think about the gospel news when you first really believed it. God really loves me? God really forgives me? God really has secured by salvation for eternity? Lots of wonder and amazement came over you. It may have been at a special moment of over time, but that gospel news meant a new life, new freedom not found before or not possible. This is great news indeed.

Yet after Gabriel tells her this incredible news she questions with how can this be? Keep in mind she has preserved herself for her upcoming marriage. How is it possible since there can not be any consummation of the marriage? She does not doubt though the words of the angel spoken to her though, she simply asks how can this be brought about. She has not done what she felt would have been necessary to take part in fulfilling these words. In some ways, don’t we also struggle with the gospel news. What must I do to really be saved? What must I accomplish to secure that current and future state? When we think logically or rationally, we have not done or accomplished anything worry of being loved like this, of being adopted and brought into God’s family. We feel there is something we are missing that we need to figure out. Yet there isn’t and it is hard to fathom such a God who can bring this about.

Gabriel answered Mary’s question with explaining the Holy Spirit is taking care of how this will happen. There is nothing for her to do in order for this to happen. It must happen this way in order for the child to be born in such a way. The same is true for our own salvation. There is no other way for it to happen. We cannot be saved by ourselves or anything we could hope to accomplish. We face an impossible feat, to love God perfectly. This requires us first to allow God to love us perfectly and to believe this impossible truth. This requires us to begin to believe if we have not already that God has found favor in us, not because of anything we have done or accomplished but because we are God’s creation and unconditionally, God loves his creation.

What is interesting in this encounter is that not only does Gabriel tell her this incredible feat that the Holy Spirit will complete but also something else impossible has happened as well. Her cousin who was barren has also been part of a miracle of God and is pregnant with a son. This is important to reinforce with Mary that nothing is impossible with God. No barren womb or no virgin womb is beyond the reach of God’s miracles. There times in life where we are witness to miracles. These miracles do reinforce the fact that nothing is impossible with God. I’ve witnessed barren wombs become pregnant. I’ve witnessed God’s healing power. I’ve witnessed the impossible happening.

In returning back to the story, Mary only has one response to this statement that nothing is impossible with God. Mary responds “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”. Mary not only accepts the good news but also believes Gabriel’s reassurance that nothing is impossible with God. She accepts whatever God will do, she is a willing servant and fully trusts in the Lord. In truth, this is the hardest part of our relationship with God. Do we trust God when we can’t see things being possible? I would like to share to personal stories about myself where, I have felt up against impossible odds, yet God has carried me through.

The first story is the one I am still walking through day to day. At work, I have faced an incredible barrage of difficulties in leading a group of people through a difficult season. Over the course of the last 2 months though, I have lost 5 people who has moved on or are moving on at the end of the year. If you look at it this way, 5 seasoned leaders have moved on. These are 5 people that have walked through difficult times and impossible odds and helped this company be successful. What this leaves me is an impossible feat. When you lose leaders, you must recruit and train up new leaders. This is not something unexpected but to lose 5 in the same department creates huge problem that I keep getting asked a simple but telling question of the worries of others. I have been asked, does this mean you are leaving too? This speaks of people losing hope who had a great hope and confidence before this season. If I am honest, of course I have wondered do I stick it out or abandon ship. Each time though, I am assured I am where I am supposed to be. I have had to adapt strategies that put a strain on myself and my family and assure people that there is hope ahead of this valley and mountain we must climb. Yet, my faith in God placing me and assuring me of hope, keeps me alive and sustains me. I won’t lie and say its easy but I am seeing things I did not see before. I am able to do things now that I could not do before. All of this is possible because it is God who walks me through each day.

Another lighter story where I am at the end of that difficult journey is school. As most of you know 4.5 years ago, I started on an impossible journey. How in the world would I complete a master’s degree while working full-time, being present with my family, and leading a church? These were questions that stayed in my mind before and during journey. It was really hard during certain semesters and countless times, I had impossible deadlines with papers and assignments and travel to get done what needed to be done. Each time, I started with a prayer acknowledging I don’t know how God, this is impossible but you have helped me through it before and I trust you to get me through this one too. Each time God has been faithful and continues to be faithful. This past week I finished my last class and last assignment and will be receiving my degree. I would not be here if it were not for the Lord. Nothing is impossible with God.

Both of these stories, I accept that I am a servant of the Lord. Both of these I am working in serving others. When we focus on the Lord and being a servant of the Lord, and not ourselves, then the impossible does happen. This is the miracle we celebrate at Christmas. The servant of the Lord said yes, let it be so.