I don’t know how preachers do it. Every year during Advent, they must sermonize about Luke 1-2 for several weeks. The story is so familiar and the list of characters is quite small. It must be challenging to shed new light on the old account. Ah! but the wonder of God’s Word is such that there is a gift hidden for the one who seeks. I ask the Lord each Christmas season to show me something new and I’ve never been disappointed.

In church on Sunday, we read about Mary’s response to the angel’s announcement that she was going to have a baby. I’ve always been puzzled that such earth-shattering news delivered by a heavenly being got such an undramatic response. “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said,” doesn’t come close to what my reaction would have been.  (Something more like, “WHAT?!?!?!?!?”) 

Then I noticed something brand new right there in Luke 1. One little word, spoken 9 times by the angel:

“You WILL be with child…”

“He WILL be great and WILL be called the Son of the Most High…..”

“The Lord God WILL give him the throne…”

“He WILL reign….”

“His kingdom WILL never end….”

“The Holy Spirit WILL come upon you….”

“The power of the Most High WILL overshadow you….”

“He WILL be called the Son of God….”

It was a done deal. The plan was already in motion and Mary’s answer was perfect. She didn’t say, “Yes, I’ll do it” or “No, find someone else” because she wasn’t asked; she was told. And there was no way she was about to debate with a heavenly messenger talking about thrones and kingdoms and power.

Sometimes God asks us, “Will you?”. Sometimes He says, “You will.”

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” is the best answer still.