“Let It Be To Me According To Your Word”

“Let it be according to you word!” – Undoubtedly, this has been one of the most important responses ever proclaimed throughout the history of mankind!

What’s more, a young woman who was yet twenty years of age was the one who spoke these words. In all probability, she may have been about fifteen years old. Her name was Mary and she was betrothed to a man named Joseph. The story of the Nativity as recorded in God’s Word has been proclaimed throughout the world. And yet, while most people focus on the birth of Christ Jesus coming to earth, little attention has been directed to the obedience leading to the greatest event since the heavens were formed.

As we enter the Christmas Season, my desire is to encourage you to reflect upon these following questions:

What if Joseph would have refused to obey the directions of the angel Gabriel?

What impact would this have had on Elizabeth, who was in her 6-month of pregnancy, carrying a infant who would become John the Baptist?

What if Mary had said, “No?”

Surely she knew by accepting the message of the angel Gabriel she could face being accused by Joseph and her family of committing adultery. After all, she was already in the betrothal stage of their marriage.

Her family or Joseph could have made a spectacle of her and she well might have faced being stoned to death for her alleged unfaithfulness to Joseph. What would her father and mother think? How would her siblings respond? What of her extended family and friends… what would they say when they found out she was with child? And, how would they respond when she told them she was carrying the Messiah?

The list of formable questions one could amass surrounding the birth of our Lord could fill pages of a book. And the given responses to these questions could provide enough text to write an entire series of books. What? What if…? What about…? How…? Where…? Oh, the list of questions that could have been compiled. So many potential concerns and doubts, which could have formulated within her mind… And yet, Mary didn’t require deliberation to contemplate all these things. Her response was immediate, without hesitation or reservation. “Let it be to me according to your word,” was her pronouncement of being totally submissive to the word of the Lord. Her implicit devotion to God, her unswerving faith in His ability to protect, provide and prove faithful was manifested in her simple response, “Let it be to me according to your word.”

And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.” Luke 1:46-55 NKJV

Is it any wonder, why Mary was able to rejoice so magnificently unto the LORD… when she in her heart knew, that she was in God’s will, His plan for mankind and regardless of her immediate questions, He had the providential answers.

Oh, the joy waits for those who are unwilling to compromise their fears for God’s faithfulness! How blessed are those who are willing to cast their cares into the arms of Christ… in utter devotion and through humble obedience.

Our Father in heaven, may we become willing and ready, with tremendous eagerness to your call, in a resounding response, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true… let it be to me according to your word.” Amen!