Wednesday, December 1, 2021 – ADVENT TWO

Gabriel appeared to her {Mary} and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28, New Living Translation)

                 God always seems to make interesting choices in the people whom he calls into his service and for his plans.

                Seniors like Abraham and Sarah. Slaves like the Israelites. A foreigner and immigrant like Ruth. A shepherd boy like David. A fisherman like Peter. A violent antagonist like Paul.

                And Mary, a young, single, innocent woman in the backwater town of Nazareth and nothing good comes out of Nazareth. The only “king” on the throne was a Roman lackey and reprobate, King Herod. Hardly an auspicious choice.

                I am going to presume she was still living in her family’s home, doing whatever young women did in those days to spend their time – probably helping with the daily household chores, collecting water from the town well, cooking, cleaning and the like. Necessary chores, but not especially noteworthy or life changing.

All very ordinary.

Then Gabriel shows up and nothing is ever ordinary again.

She is favoured by God. One might wonder whether being a single, unwed mother was anybody’s idea of being favoured, but Gabriel brought that message to Mary just the same. She has been sought out, chosen, favoured, and brought into God’s plans to bring a new Messiah into being. “’Don’t be afraid, Mary,’ the angel told her, ‘for you have found favor with God!’” (1:30)

                At first, she is perplexed (1:29). Who wouldn’t be? There she is minding her own business, getting ready for her wedding, the future being set as a married woman running her own household and raising a family, and God has the audacity to interrupt her plans with ones of his own. That word “perplexed” may summarize her confusion, surprise, consternation and fears. Why her? Why now?

                Then, she is doubtful. “Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can this happen? I am a virgin.’” (1:34) Like a lot of people who get picked by God for a task, she looked for a way out of her assignment. Sarah had a good laugh. Moses stammered and stuttered, so let God find someone else. Jonah took the first ship out the harbor. I’ve bought a cow, married a wife; I cannot come.  Don’t bother me, God. I am not the one you want.

                But Mary was the right one, the favoured one, the chosen woman to bring into the world and nurture the one who would change the world. God saw something profoundly worthy in Mary that made her the ideal choice as the mother of Jesus. He would deal with Joseph later. “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.” (Galatians 4:4. NLT)

                Then, Mary accepted her role. “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” Did she entirely grasp everything she was getting herself into? Probably not. Nevertheless, she rose to the occasion and found the courage and the strength to step into God’s future.

                Mary’s story seems out of the ordinary but it reminds us that God acts in the ordinary spaces of our lives  and calls us into his service. We may feel that we are unlikely or even unworthy candidates. It may seem too complicated or perplexing as to what we should do. We may have good reasons as to why it should not be someone like you or me. But God always needs a human touch to shape his future. God favour, i.e. God’s grace, love, and pleasure, shapes who we are and who we can be.  

                So get in touch with your inner angel and hear God out. You will be glad you did.

 Dale