What We Can Learn From Mary’s Response

If there was ever a woman who found favor with God, it would be Mary. She was the mother of Jesus Christ. For two thousand years, Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been one of the most iconic women in the history of the world. People know the important role she played in the life of Jesus. What can we learn from Mary? At first glance, we may think that her story is so unique that it would be too far from the reality we live in today. Even though Mary’s role was one of a kind, I believe we can learn from her life. Like Mary, we have a one of a kind role and we can see what Mary did right when it came to her unique assignment. 

Luke 1:26-45 tells the the story of how God sent an angel, Gabriel, to the virgin Mary. Mary was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph. Gabriel appeared to her and says “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” When Mary saw him, she was troubled. This would be a totally normal response to such an encounter. I would venture to say that you and I would probably respond the same way. The angel told her not to be afraid and then continued to turn her world upside down. He told her she was going to conceive a Son named Jesus. Mary didn't understand how this could happen, because she was a virgin. The angel explained that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would become pregnant with the Son of God. Mary told the angel “I am the Lord’s servant, may everything you have said about me come true.” Mary then went to visit Elizabeth who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Elizabeth said this about Mary; “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

1. Mary said yes.

Luke 1:28  “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” 

When Mary heard this plan of a virgin birth, she had to respond. She had a choice to make. Was she going to accept God’s plan for her or was she going to rebel against it. I’m sure that this was not the way Mary thought her life was going to go. 

Sometimes we may have a certain idea of how our lives are going to go. We think we will graduate, get married, start having kids or begin a career. We even have a time frame associated with all of these plans. We think we have the best plan for our lives, but life doesn’t always go the according to our plan. Sometimes God moves us in a direction we didn’t see coming. It is at these times that we need to know what our answer is going to be. Are we going to say yes to God or not. I believe that Mary had a posture of saying yes to God even before this major plot shift happened. Let’s get into a posture of saying yes to God. 

2 Chronicles 16:9 The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 

If we are on purpose to live life in this posture, I believe God will invite us to do big things. He is looking for women who are already in that "Yes" posture. Decide today, that no matter what God asks of you, your answer will be yes.

2. Mary Believed that God would do what He said He would do. 

Luke 1:38 “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!”

The second part to Mary’s response is she believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her. We may not have an angel appear to us, but we do have the Word of God. Let’s take a look at some of the promises from the Bible. We need to not only know these promises, but believe them.  

Here are a few of my favorite promises. 

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”