Bring It!

I've long been intrigued by Mary's reaction to the angel when he broke the news to her about Jesus. I mean, the Bible says in Luke 2 that she was "greatly troubled" by the words, "You ... are highly favored! The Lord is with you." When she heard it, she "wondered what kind of greeting this might be." I have to wonder when I read it if she was suspicious. Or was it, maybe, that her simple and pure humility would not let her just accept it as common knowledge that she was highly favored? I don't know. That's part of the intrigue. The humility that characterizes Mary is something I've always admired and longed for from afar. (Ever hear that humility is a scary thing to pray for?)

The other (quite large) part of the intrigue is that of her reaction when the plan is sketched out for her. Quite simply -- she would somehow be impregnated by the Holy Spirit before giving birth to God Himself in the form of a baby, not to mention having to trust that her fiance would understand, as well as having to wait to enjoy her wedding night until (wait, this one's crazy) after she gave birth to the child from her virgin womb. I write it here and can't fathom or wrap my mind around it. I don't even really know how to use words for it.

So -- how could she?!? And yet, somehow she finds some words. She uses them to respond to this sketchy picture with amazing stability and confidence. It comes out in what are perhaps five of the scariest yet assuring words in the English language "I am the Lord's servant." And she finishes it off with "May it be to me as you have said." Uh-huh! I know! Absolute. Trust. She has just been told that her life as she knows it is about to be obliterated. And she responds with a resounding "bring it!!" (my translation) because she knows Whom she serves. She's grounded in Who she belongs to. She has no doubt Who's in charge. She has no worries about the details (like the whole Joseph believing her thing, and what about her parents counting backwards from the day Jesus is born to figure out exactly when He was conceived). "No worries... I'm God's servant. Bring it!" And wow! Did He bring it or what? And what an adventure she got to take!

Makes me wonder what kind of adventures I've missed when I've failed to respond to one of His nudges with that same humility that Mary had. And it makes me excited to think about all the adventures He has for me as I humbly accept what ever He brings. Unafraid. Absolutely. Trusting. Him. As. My. Lord. "May it be to me as you have said."