God's Invitation

#Voices of CCLB - Rodney Herrera

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” 

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 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. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” 
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”

• ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Oftentimes, what scripture doesn’t say actually speaks volumes about the story that’s being told.  How does Mary react to the news about her upcoming birth to Jesus?  She asks a question about logistics, most likely in order to grasp the idea which is outside of the confines of her society’s box, and then she accepts of the invitation to be part of God’s plan.  No protesting, no excuses, no resistance.

Not only does this show us Mary’s full trust and faith in God’s integrity, but also illustrates Mary’s self confidence and fervor take on the role God has established for her. 

Mary is about to be placed in what most would consider an unfavorable and dangerous situation (think of how Tamar was almost put to death in Genesis 38:24-26), and yet, Mary wholeheartedly accepts God’s invitation to participate in a revolution for God’s people, flipping the patriarchal script and societal norms on their heads.

This is in stark contrast to many significant Biblical figures:

• Moses resists by giving God endless excuses as to why he’s the wrong choice to rescue the Israelites from Pharoah. (Exodus 3:11-4:17)

• Jonah literally runs in the opposite direction of God’s calling to preach to the city of Nineveh.(Jonah 1:3)

• Gideon doubts his ability in saving Israel, and even asks God for signs to prove trustworthiness.  (Judges 6:15-23, 36-40)

So, in light of what the text doesn’t say about Mary’s story, what role has God invited you to take on?  Would most people consider the circumstances to be “unfavorable or dangerous?” How will you react to God’s invitation in your life?