Surrender, A Remarkable Journey

 

Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. The virgin will be with child, and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

Nazareth was a small town, and it was just a matter of time until the “Talk” would make its way to the gathering places. She was young, betrothed, pregnant and unmarried. If that was not enough of a dilemma, her fiancé was not the father of the child she carried.

She was prepared for the whispers in the marketplace, the heckling among the fishermen unloading their boats laden with an early morning catch and the shaming looks of the older, wiser women who were certain she was now worthless.

She had been fortunate as most young girls of this day were not to have been taught the scriptures. She knew the words of the prophet, spoken to the people of Judah so many years before. Though she knew them, never had she considered that she would be the one to fulfill them. Yet here she was. In this moment, was prophecy coming to pass? Was it being fulfilled before her very eyes?

Today, it had come to pass. Though startled by the angel’s appearance, even troubled by the message she kept reliving over and over in her head, there was somehow also a quiet abiding calmness in her presence and a confidence that was unexplainable. As she listened to his words, deep inside her heart of hearts, she knew that this was indeed her calling. How could God the Father have chosen her, a simple, poor, peasant girl to be the instrument that would bring peace to rule and reign in the hearts of men?

She was fully aware of the dangers she placed upon her very life if she accepted His call. At the least, she would become an outcast until the time for the Christ Child to fulfill His purpose and her marriage would be over. At the worst, she would be taken outside the city gates and stoned - possibly to the point of death. Even with these potential life-altering possibilities lurking overhead, she knew she had no choice. It was clear she must pursue God’s plan with her whole heart. Mary, the mother of Jesus, submitted herself to the will of her Father, God during not understanding" why" or "how." It was simple trust and obedience.

To be overshadowed by the almighty and be chosen to fulfill a responsibility of such magnitude as Mary was called to do, we probably cannot relate. From this experience, though the consideration we can ponder is, what would it take for you, or for me to surrender those areas in life that we hold onto so tightly? To quit counting the cost of loss and begin to focus on the relentless pursuit of recognizing God’s call on our lives?

Beware if you choose surrender – it could be radical. It might seem unfathomable, but it will always be remarkable. This season, let us remember the faithful and selfless surrender of Mary. Her submission to God the Father’s plan brought us the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Let us follow her response, " I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:36. NIV

And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

for the Mighty One has done great things for me--

holy is his name…”

Luke 1:46-49

Bell, Stacia. “Chapter 52 Surrender, A Remarkable Journey.” When the Menu Is Manna New Beginnings, 1st ed., Outskirts Press, 2018, pp. 156–158.