Have you ever had a situation where your opinion or perspective changed quickly.  Perhaps you got more information or maybe your thoughts changed about the situation.  I love how we see this with Mary in Luke 1 when the angel Gabriel visits her.  Let’s look at the encounter together today.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on 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. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary starts by being greatly troubled and confused about the angel’s greeting.  Gabriel begins to explain and Mary goes from troubled to skeptical.  I’m sure we all would be as she says how can this be when I am a virgin.  She probably doubted but just in case wanted a good story or explanation to give to others who would have even more doubts.  Then when Gabriel explains some more her last line is beautiful when she says may it be so I am the Lord’s servant.  My prayer is that might be our response to the things that God calls us to as well.  Loving God and our neighbors as ourselves, sharing God’s love with the world, reaching out to the least and the lost, and all of Jesus’ teachings for us during His time on earth.  May our response be like Mary’s, may it be so I am the servant of the Lord!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave