Mary’s Obedience

“For nothing will be impossible with God." "I am the Lord's slave," said Mary. "May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel left her. - Luke 1:37-38 HCSB

“Nothing is impossible with God.” What a wonderful truth. All true believers can attest to that fact, not only from their study of the Scriptures, but out of personal experience. Every believer has had God’s eternal light shine into the darkness of their lives, bringing order and structure where the soul had previously been unformed and void.[1] Every believer has felt that life-giving light[2] flow into the darkened corners of their minds and felt the liberating belief that can only come with Truth.[3]

“Nothing is impossible with God” we hear trumpeted from charlatans the world over. Wolves disguised as sheep, they use God’s hope in a bait and switch scheme. Promising deliverance they give only another form of bondage – emotional shackles that weigh the poor soul down. They promise healing, wealth, emotional maturity, influence and friends but when they fail to deliver on their promises they blame the poor victim.

They are con men delivering motivational speeches. “Name it and claim it!” they cry. Juvenile clichés spew from their mouths like a never-ending torrent of sewage. They urge us to feel good about ourselves, to have the right view of ourselves and there is an element of truth to their spiel. Created a little lower than angels,[4] we have in fact the opportunity to become children of God,[5] co-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ.[6] Unbelievable potential lies at hand to the one who will humble himself under the mighty hand of God.[7]

Therein lays the difference. Mary did not have a meeting of the televangelist kind. She was faced with the angel Gabriel who brought what must have been the greatest news any mother could ever receive. “You will bear a child and He will be the Messiah. He will be sinless and save the world.” What could be any better? However, notice her response. “I am the Lord’s slave. May it be done to me…”

She recognized that this blessing – this wonderful thing – was not about her. She was a vessel. She was a tool being used to bring about God’s will. That fundamental difference made her uniquely qualified to be the vessel bearing the Son of God. Her humility is what made her “favored.”[8]

We must emulate Mary’s obedience. We too should consider ourselves to be the Lord’s slaves. Whatever comes, whether happy or calamitous, comes from the hand of the One who loves us more than we can ever know.[9] If we are willing to realize that the universe does not center on us, is not about us, was not created for us,[10] we too can bear Christ within ourselves, and thereby be used to bring salvation into the world. It is only once we have predetermined to obey regardless that our true potential unleashed.



[1] Genesis 1:2-3
[2] John 1:4-5
[3] John 8:32 cp Luke 20:34-36
[4] Psalm 8:4-5; cp Hebrews 2:7; Luke 20:34-36
[5] John 1:12-13
[6] Romans 8:17
[7] 1 Peter 5:6
[8] Luke 1:28
[9] Isaiah 45:7
[10] Colossians 1:16