Mary's Surrender

By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of Ben White

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come."

~Romans 8:33-38

"Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.' Then Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I [c]do not know a man?' And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.' Then Mary said, 'Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.'” 

~Luke 1:30-38

I don't know about you, but when the Lord asks me to do something I view as being much too hard or outside my comfort zone, I struggle to surrender. Mary, however, when called to bear God's Son while yet a young virgin, was so different. It’s not that she was sinless or didn’t battle fear. It was that her love for the God of Israel was far greater than her love of comfort or love of her own personal plans. It was that her theology was so deep, rich, and profound that she was able to trust in that God, able to rest in the knowledge she had of His surpassing goodness, compassion, grace, and love.

She knew He would never call her to something for which He would not also equip her. She knew it would be against God’s character to ask her to do something and then leave her alone to fend for herself through it. Though this calling would undoubtedly be hard (for she knew that she would certainly face ridicule and rejection), she was still willing, for she saw herself as a servant of the Most High God. Not in a demeaning or abusive way (for the Lord is not like any earthly master!), but in a way that said because of the great love of God, she would be His, no matter what. It was her desire to show her gratitude for His mercy in her life by giving her all to Him and His plan for rescuing His people. She knew the God she served, so she was able to rest in His ways—even when they were unlike anything she would have chosen! 

What are you facing in this season of your life, friend? What mountain are you trying to climb? Or, from what valley are you trying to emerge? What is causing you to doubt God's love for you? Whatever it is, you can combat the fearful lies of the enemy with the truth of Who you know God to be. Go back to the truth of His character and allow yourself to not only view your current situations through that lens, but to also walk forth in hope, knowing your God has you in the palm of His loving hand.