Luke 1:38

New Living Translation

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

For Encouragement

The Almighty God had appointed her to carry and give birth to a unique child, His own Son. His name is Jesus, the Anointed One, whom the prophet Isaiah identified as Immanuel, which means God with us. He is Israel’s expected Messiah, who was to save his beloved from sin and death. Nobody in all creation knew the redemption plan of Yahweh and how it would unfold.

Over time, God revealed snippets of this plan through prophecies and the Psalms. Isaiah told us that the virgin will give birth to this child (Isa. 7:14). Micah prophesied Bethlehem as His birthplace (Micah 5:2).

But when would all these things come to pass?

At the appointed time (Gal. 4:4), God unfolded the mysteries of His plan through the ministry of the angel Gabriel, who first announced the birth of the forerunner of this unique child to an old couple, Zachariah and Elizabeth (Lk. 1:5-20). He then sent the message of the virgin conception of this child to a young woman called Mary, the fiancee of Joseph (26-38).

Gabriel’s greetings shocked Mary (28). He said Mary would conceive and give birth to a son, whom she should name Jesus (31). But Mary was a virgin, so how could it be (34)?

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” (35).

Mary responded: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her (38).

By faith, Mary believed what God had determined for her life, with all the responsibilities and suffering she would endure. By faith, she followed up on the sign Gabriel gave her, visited Elizabeth, and heard the confirmation she needed (39-45).

Moved by the Holy Spirit through faith, Mary burst out into a song of praise we call the Magnificat (46-55). With joy, the blessed Mary stayed and fellowshiped with Elizabeth, and both women encouraged each other for about three months before Mary returned home.

That is the response of faith God requires and expects from all His children — a yielded and instant reaction to His word, with the responsibilities it brings along.

So, this Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of this unique child of God, let us emulate the faith of the vessel God used to bring His Son into the world, the Virgin Mary, and give Him praise. Let us, by faith, visit and encourage each other with our testimonies.

May the Holy Spirit inspire you to pen a song of praise like the Magnificat to the praise of His glory. Amen!