Hello, Mary

Hello, Mary.

The two words make me smile—Hello, Mary. My first name is Mary, did you know that? Mary Christine. But indeed it was "Ave, Maria", the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary. In Latin, it means Greetings, Mary or Hello. A young virgin, Mary is told, 'you are going to have a son--a holy son--the one and only Son of God. You are highly esteemed by God, and this is how it will happen …' [Now this was the fulfillment of a prophecy written by the prophet Isaiah about 700 years earlier; yes, seven hundred years! "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." This was just one of 61 major prophecies about Jesus, which he fulfilled to the letter. ‘Nothing short of miraculous.]

Gabriel's concluding comment to Mary is powerful: Nothing is impossible with God

May I ask you--what have you given up on? What is the mountain that you just can't get over, can't get around or can't get through? What are the impossible odds you are facing? Take heart! Nothing is impossible with God.

After asking, 'but how could this be?' I love Mary's soulful response, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said." She was so very young, and already so full of faith, trusting God's goodness. She did not have many answers about what lay ahead, because it was sure to be fraught with difficulties, yet she believed. It reminds me of what Jesus said, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.2 I wonder if I would have submitted as easily as Mary, despite her angelic visit--would you?

Soon after the miraculous announcement, Mary traveled to the home of her cousin Elizabeth in Judea, and stayed with her until the birth of Elizabeth's baby, John. Elizabeth offered Mary words of affirmation, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear. . . Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"3 Mary's heart was filled to overflowing with gratefulness, and she was moved to sing praises to God. How right, how good it is to praise God when we experience a touch of the divine.

After spending time with Elizabeth, and experiencing the birth of her nephew, (John-the-Baptist), Mary returned home. She was going to have to tell her family that she was expecting a child, though not just any child; how could they possibly understand? Surely they would not believe her! What difficulty and shame they would face in the little town of Nazareth. And how about Joseph--what would he have to say about the condition of his betrothed? According to Jewish law, he could have her stoned. But as Matthew records in his gospel, Joseph had also been visited by an angel in a dream, who told him not to be afraid "to take Mary as his wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."4 Joseph obeyed, and took Mary as his wife.

Do you believe that ‘nothing is impossible with God’? If you do, with what do you need to trust Him? For you, perhaps, as with so many of us, it is about surrender—giving up all of who we are to him. Hmmm … is that you? In the 70s there was a silly lapel button that said, "Try God." It really bugged me, but now I see simple wisdom in it. Though we have doubts, though there might be fears--like, 'what if I trust God to do this or that, and he doesn't come through?'--how would you be any worse off then, friend? Why not TRY GOD? Why not TRUST GOD? What do you have to lose in surrendering yourself to your Maker, the one who loves you completely?

Ave, Maria. We want to learn from your complete trust, and truly believe that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. Lord, God? While we know in our minds that nothing is impossible with you, we do not often live it out with our wills. May we trust you, and give all of ourselves over to who you are, believing as Mary did, that nothing is impossible with you. Amen.

Christine

PastorWoman.com



1 - Isaiah 7.14

2 - John 20.29

3 - Luke 1.44

4 - Matthew 1.20-21