What is your view of the miraculous? Do you think God still does miracles? I never want to paint God into my box. God can act in any and through any means He chooses, I think we sometimes forget that (yes, I realize He cannot be inconsistent with His nature, so not totally in “any way’).
Mary understood this well. Wright tells us, “Mary, is to that extent, the supreme example of what always happens when God is at work by grace through human beings. God’s power from the outside, and the indwelling spirit within, together result in things being done which would have been unthinkable any other way” (11).
Think about the incredible features of this story: an Angel speaking, a direct commendation to Mary from God, the idea that her Son will be the Messiah of Israel, the Holy Spirit will conceive the child, the one born will be called “God’s Son,” and as a sign, your older barren cousin Elizabeth will also conceive a son. Moreover, the Angel gives Mary no reason to doubt any of this, when he reminds her; “With God, nothing is impossible” (vs. 37).
How does Mary react?
I like how the New Living Translation translates her response: “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever He wants. May everything you have said come true” (vs. 38).
As Wright points out in our text (12), when faced with this possibility and not really sure all it involves, she responds “as a model of the human response to God’s unexpected vocation,” or calling: “Here I am . . . let it be as you said” (vs. 38).
What an incredible example of faith and steadfast trust in God, no matter what He asks of us. May we do the same.
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I think that it is easy to lose sight of the times that we were faithful and obedient to the Lord because of how many times we fail. However, this particular moment in times encourages me. It gives me something to reach for on a daily basis. I want to answer the Lord's call when He commands. Faithfulness to the Lord in what may seem like ordinary moments prepares me for the times that are not so Mary-like ordinary.
I believe the same God who parted the Red Sea is the same God who exists today, yesterday, and forever. Each and every breath is a miracle in my eyes. So, does God still do miracles? Absolutely! What greater miracle than someone who is "lost" coming to a knowledge and relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ?
Sometimes "today's Christian" seems to run away from praying for someones healing, a miraculous recovery, etc. I disagree with this mindset. God is the ultimate physician! I've had people directly in my own life go from having a death-causing agent to being completely free from it. I believe this is from God's Sovereign answer to consistenr prayer.
Q: Many people speak of God in the OT being different from God in the NT. How would you answer someone holding this view?
I do not want to make Mary sound too mechanical in her response in verse 38, but in their culture where women were subservient wouldn't this be the programmed response from her? I think it is more out of the ordinary that she questions Gabriel in verse 34. Are we pulling Mary into our culture too much by not considering the culture she was living in?
Faith comes by hearing, hearing the Word of Truth. Mary must have heard so many times about the God that her father's father served. She was so willing to trust and obey to whatever the angel told her. She did not have room in her heart to doubt the soverignty of God.
I was challenged with Mary's faith and her faith encourages me to keep on reminding myself that the God who took care of me for 21 years will take of me until and after I meet Him face to face.
Why do we worry so much when we know that God is in control? Is it because we want to be in control and doubt that God knows the best?
Lydia
Every time I read Mary's response I think also of the prophet Isaiah when He answered the Lord's call... "Here I am Lord, send me..." I think faith like that is not determined by who you are or how strong you are, but I think that kind of faith is truly a gift from God. When you act in blind faith like they did, or even as Abraham - he just got up and went - I think you will realize it is not you and you too will be compelled to praise God. What a blessing it is to be a testimony for God and to receive His gifts simply to bring Him glory.
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