Jesus Choosing Words That Change All Of Our Tomorrows

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 2:38)

For enthusiastic skiers, there is nothing better than waking up to a brand new fresh snowfall. The deeper the better!

Every skier dreams of virgin snow. A blank slate of white. No marks. No paths. No mistakes. Unblemished. Pristine. The mountain stretches out with endless possibilities, promises, and new adventures

They may ski their mountain often. But as they stand at the top, looking down with an odd mix of confidence and fear, they know this journey down, in the virgin snow, will be unlike any they have ever made.

We might not all have a desire to stand at the top of a literal mountain, but we do all have the moments in our lives when we must choose whether or not we’ll go into the unmarked territory where our tomorrows will not look like our yesterdays.

Mary gives us a glimpse as to what such a choosing point looks like.

By all accounts, Mary is between the ages of 12 and 15 when we meet her in the Gospel of Luke Her engagement to Joseph carried the same legal weight as a marriage. According to Jewish law (Lev 20:20-21) it was within the rights of the man to have his wife stoned to death for her unfaithfulness. Coming up pregnant before the couple had consummated their relationship was pretty good proof she

This is cultural context in which Mary has this encounter with the angel Gabriel and learns that she has been chosen to give birth to Jesus. The Messiah. The Savior of her people.

This is a choosing point for Mary. She knows the consequences for adultery.

Even though she knew her life was at stake she said – I am the Lord’s servant, let it be as you have said.

In this moment she chose Jesus over Joseph. She chose Jesus over the expectations of her community. She chose Jesus over her own life. Every one of her tomorrows would look different than her yesterday.

I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be to me as you have said are Jesus choosing words that change all of our tomorrows

Gabriel did not define Messiah for Mary. He didn’t tell her that the Savior would be a Rabbi who constantly challenged the ruling class of her people. He didn’t tell her that her son would be arrested, tried, and killed by crucifixion at the age of 33.

Mary, along with all of Israel, expected the Messiah to be a warrior king

I wonder how often she thought about that and if she struggled to lay down her expectations? Did she want to orchestrate Jesus into being the “right” Messiah? Did she want to enroll him in warrior king school to ensure he had all the right opportunities?

Maybe. But she didn’t do any of that.

She stood at the top of that parenting mountain, looked down and saw a pristine and unblemished path before her and said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be as you have said.” Having no idea what lie before her, she chose Jesus over her expectations.

On the day Jesus seemingly disavows Mary when he says, “Who is my mother”, did his words cut like a knife in her heart? Did she want to grab him by the ear and say, Listen up son – remember the 5^th commandment? Did she want to harden her heart against him so that he could never hurt her again?

Maybe.

Instead, she stood at the top of that relationship mountain grit her teeth and said (maybe muttered), “I am the Lord’s servant.” She chose Jesus over being right.

When Mary’s standing at the foot of the cross looking up at her son, watching him in agony, draw his last breath was she thinking, “Wow. This is not what I expected when the angel came that day”?

I wonder if she thought, “God, I did everything you asked me to, I chose you at every point and this is what happens?”

She stoop at the top of a mountain built by yesterdays of hurt, disillusionment, discouragement, anger, questions, even disbelief. Mary must choose. Will she turn away from God? Choose to stay with the hurt and the known path of discouragement and despair? Or will she once again utter the Jesus choosing words “I am your servant” and change her tomorrows?

This is the question we face.

Our yesterdays are full of fear, regret, frustration, and unmet expectations. We are well acquainted with broken relationships, rejection, and harsh words. Our hearts grow angry and bitter at the unfairness of life.

We can keep taking those paths. They are known. They are comfortable.

Or will we, like Mary, plunge into the unmarked, unblemished, pristine unknown?

I am your servant. May it be to me as you have said.

Jesus choosing words that change everything about our tomorrows.

Blessings,

Denise

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