Laura J. Davis

She was frightened by the appearance of the angel. One moment she was alone and the next words she heard changed her life forever, "Greetings you who are highly favoured!" She turned around and there stood an angel of God and he was telling her that God favoured her. I can feel Mary's heart beating fast can't you? Imagine what was going through her mind - the emotions that must have been swirling through her. I'd think fear, anxiety and confusion would be top on her list. But then the angel goes on.

"You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Say what now?

Can you see her eyes blinking rapidly trying to take it all in? Her face is flushing too. Her heart is going a mile a minute! New emotions are tumbling in and building to a fever pitch. She is no more than 14 or 15 years old. Some scholars suggest she may have been as young as 12! She is a young Jewess. Deeply devoted to God and His laws. Getting pregnant outside of marriage would result in a stoning, according to those laws. So, we have no doubt that this is not very good news for Mary. That fear is clutching at her throat right now waiting for release. Yet, at the same time, she experiences peace and joy at the angel's words. Why? She has just been told that she would have the honour of bringing the Messiah into the world! She is no doubt flabbergasted at such an honour.She has so many questions to ask - but only one comes forth. "How will this be since I am a virgin?"

A logical question considering all the other ones that were probably going through her head like - why me? When will it happen? Will it hurt? What will I tell my fiancee Joseph? How will I explain this to my parents? And oh...yeah...how will I avoid a stoning?

After the angel explains to her how it will be done, he tells her about her cousin Elizabeth so that she might know she wasn't imagining everything.

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” 

And after all that, this lovely young teenager says, "I am the Lord's Servant. May it be to me as you have said."

Mary obediently surrendered to God’s desires for her life. God was pleased to honour her by using her for His good purposes. Mary knew she was about to face a world full of trouble and hurt when her friends and family discovered her pregnant. Yet, she said “yes” to God. How do you react when God asks something of you that you fear is way out of your comfort zone? Do you automatically question God? Say no? Stall for time? The next time God asks something of you, take a lesson from Mary and say yes. He might just use you to change the world.