““I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”
The Lord’s servant? Whose servant are you? If you are a servant of this world, you will be loyal to the world and reap the benefits thereof. As a servant of God, it meant Mary was loyal to God and under the control of God. A total surrender to God’s will and purpose.
Luke 1:28-31 “The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.”
Mary went further to proclaim that since she was under the control of God, let whatever God wants to do through her be done. Loyalty meant putting off her personal desires, goals, plans and everything that was to her benefit and submit to the authority she was a servant to. Her loyalty attracted the angel of God more, as she tried to process the message. She was given an assurance of the favor of God around her. The favor of God attracts His presence around and within us. In His presence fear is cast out and we receive grace to carry His assignment through.
Luke 1:38b “Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Mary had to put off her own agenda, not even a thought of how the message will affect her relationship with her fiancé. She was selfless and like the Apostle Paul her interest was yielded to the will of God. Whatever the Lord wanted rather than whatever Mary wanted. Philippians 3:8 says “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ”. It is always for our own gain when we choose to surrender to the control of Christ
Mary’s life style positioned her for favor. You may ask what I mean by that? Mary was a virgin; Luke 1:26-27 says “In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary”. What does virgin mean spiritually? She was spotless, clean, without contamination, stains nor wrinkles. According to Ephesians 5:27 “and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” She was found blameless before God and her righteous lifestyle radiated to the throne room of heaven and she was noticed (favored) and found suitable for God’s earthly assignment to incubate the most ever precious gift from God to the sinful world; Jesus the Son of God.
2 Corinthians 11:2 says “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.” It’s God’s desire that we are presented as pure virgins, sanctified and made holy by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Finally, as believers in Christ Jesus representing the church we must make ourselves ready by clothing ourselves with the righteousness in Christ through our daily surrender and conscious efforts to walk by faith in holiness and truth. Our righteousness in Christ positions us for divine favor. Revelation 19: 7-8 says “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
Questions to reflect on:
What would you have done if you were Mary?
If God picks up your record, what will show up before Him concerning you?
What steps can you take to ensure you maintain your virginity (righteousness) in Christ?
Have you come to that place where you can boldly say like Mary let it be done; whatever your will is Lord or where ever it will take me to?
Prayer:
Father I ask that you will grant me the grace to align myself in righteousness to be positioned for favor in this season. Father I pray that you will remove any hindrance in my path in Jesus name. As your servant, I surrender to your Lordship and will in Jesus mighty name. Do with me whatever pleases you and bring you glory in Jesus mighty name.
Blessings!!!
Ennette Heaggans