“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.”
Luke 1:35 (NIV)
Reflection
In the flash of an instant
and within the divine intervention of an angelic messenger, Mary’s life would
be forever transformed. It’s hard to imagine some of the thoughts that must
have been racing through her young mind. “Why me?”, “There’s nothing special
about me”, “I’m not good enough”, “I’m too young”, “I’m not ready for this”,
“This isn’t what I had planned” But yet
here she was, facing a choice that really was no choice at all. “I am the
Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” God chose
Mary. An ordinary woman, with faults like anyone else, recognized that the love
of God was about to overwhelm humanity and that she would be used as its
vessel.
How often do we question our
abilities when God wants to use us? Instead of recognizing the awesome fact
that a loving God chooses to use flawed human beings, we resist, thinking that
we know better than God. Mary wasn’t perfect. She was afraid and maybe a little
confused. But in His perfect love and sovereign will, God chose her. With all
her fears, imperfections and questions, she heard God’s word, chose not to
hesitate and acknowledged that His plan was much bigger than hers. In love, God
chose her and in obedience, she was willing to say, “I am the Lord’s servant.”
During this season of
Advent, may we set aside our plans, hesitations and fears of imperfection. May
we trust in a God that chooses to use us, not because he has to, not because we
are perfect, but because He loves us, and nothing more.
Prayer
Lord, it is in this quiet
moment that we acknowledge Your presence and perfect love for us. We know that
we are far from perfect, and we know that our imperfections sometimes hold us
back. But as we meditate on Your perfection, help us to trust in You and that
Your decisions are always right. Give us the strength to step forward when You
call, knowing that it is because of Your love that You chose us. Let it be only
in love that we serve You. Amen
