“Be it according to thy word.”
LUKE 1:38
Mary’s permission to the angel Gabriel gave the green light for heaven’s eternal plan to proceed, ushering in an outrageously wonderful plan that only the mind of God could dream up.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary…
APOSTLE’S CREED
Packed in these few words is a wonder that stretches human imagination to the uttermost. This creedal affirmation fixes this astounding truth of God in our minds, confirming that He will stop at nothing to enter into our mess and fix what is broken. He is Emmanuel, God with us.
“We believe that Jesus our Lord was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary. Who can forget this mystery and glory at Advent Season?”
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they see God incarnate at Bethlehem. We honor Mary also because of her character. She was mother in the first Christian home and gave us the first Christian song.”
“Although not mentioned in any of the Epistles and once only in the Acts, we learn much of her character from the gospels. What purity of soul, what delicate reserve, what inspired exultation, what lowly obedience, what simple faith are revealed in the chapters of the nativity.”
“What the annunciation meant to Mary (when betrothed to Joseph) we can only understand when we remember how she was misunderstood. Joseph felt justified in his trust, but even he wavered until a dream from Heaven reassured him. Slander began at Bethlehem and drags its way like a slimy serpent in the Jewish Talmud which calls Jesus a bastard.”
“The Pharisees sneered ‘we were not born of fornication,’ and asked Jesus with contempt ‘where is thy father?’ Perhaps it was of his own mother Jesus was thinking when he said: ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.’ Mary’s answer was: ‘Be it unto me according to Thy word.’” THE GLORY OF THE MANGER by Samuel Zwemer
This appearing to Mary reminds us that our God loves to include those who are willing in executing his plans and purposes. And who knows what adventure awaits us when we say “Yes!” Come this next Sunday ready to say with Mary, “Be it done to me according to your will.”