A Servant of the Lord

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. —Luke 1:46–48

Equipped with the promises of God, Mary’s response to the angel’s impossible announcement was simply, “See, I am the Lord’s servant . . . May it happen to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). In other words, “Lord, I’m available. You are my master; I am Your servant. I’m willing to be used however You choose.”

In that act of surrender, Mary offered herself to God as a living sacrifice. She was willing to be used by God for His purposes—willing to endure the loss of reputation that was certain to follow when people realized she was with child, willing to endure the ridicule and even the possible stoning permitted by the Mosaic law, willing to go through nine months of increasing discomfort and sleeplessness, willing to endure the labor pains of giving birth to the Child. Mary was willing to give up her own plans and agenda so that she might link arms with God in fulfilling His agenda.

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Portrait of a Woman Used by God: Lessons from the Life of Mary of Nazareth

©2016 Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Scripture taken from The CSB