As we enter the season of Advent, we reflect on Luke 1:26-38, the story of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. This passage illuminates not only the miraculous arrival of Jesus but also Mary’s extraordinary response of trust. Her simple yet profound faith can guide us as we wait for God’s promises in our lives.
1. Trust in the Midst of the Impossible
The angel Gabriel appears to Mary with astonishing news: she will conceive a son named Jesus, who will be the Son of the Most High and reign forever. Mary, a young, unwed teenager, asks, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” Her question isn’t one of doubt but of wonder. She seeks to understand how God’s promise will unfold despite her limited perspective.
Contrast this with Zechariah’s response earlier in Luke 1. When Gabriel tells him that his elderly wife Elizabeth will bear a son, he responds with skepticism: “How can I be sure of this?” He demands proof, reflecting a heart wearied by disappointment.
Mary models a posture of humble trust, rooted in curiosity rather than doubt. She doesn’t demand a sign or resist God’s plan. Instead, she allows space for God to work beyond her understanding.
Reflection: When faced with the impossible, do we react like Zechariah, demanding proof? Or can we, like Mary, remain open to God’s mysterious ways?
2. Waiting Well: Trust in the Waiting
Mary’s response, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled,” exemplifies trust in the waiting. This posture isn’t passive; it’s active surrender.
Waiting is often uncomfortable. My wife and I experienced this firsthand in our adoption journey. After years of longing for a family, we entered 2024 still waiting for a placement, despite assurances from our agency for the past 3 years. Waiting drained our energy, eroded our joy, and at times, bred cynicism.
Looking back, I realize how much we could have learned from Mary’s example. Instead of holding God at arm’s length, we could have waited with expectancy, trusting His timing even when the wait felt endless.
Reflection: In seasons of waiting, what would it look like to trust that God’s word will be fulfilled—even when evidence suggests otherwise?
3. Trust That Is Ordinary Yet Liberating
Mary’s trust wasn’t flashy or dramatic—it was ordinary and deeply rooted. She was a young girl from an unremarkable town, yet God used her faith to change history.
I once visited the Church of the Annunciation in Bethlehem, where mosaics of Mary from different cultures adorn the walls. Each artwork reflects Mary as one of “their own”—an Ethiopian Mary, a Japanese Mary, a Middle Eastern Mary. The message is clear: Mary’s example of trust is accessible to everyone, regardless of background or status.
This reminds me of Tom Brady’s famous Super Bowl comeback in 2017. Down 28-3, most fans thought victory was impossible. Yet one friend of mine kept saying, “He’s going to win.” His faith wasn’t based on evidence but on confident expectation.
Similarly, Mary trusted that “no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37). Her ordinary trust accomplished the extraordinary.
Reflection: How might your ordinary trust become the foundation for God’s extraordinary work in your life?
Living Out Trust Today
Mary’s response to God’s promise invites us to trust in ways that seem impossible. It calls us to hold onto God’s word like a life raft in a storm, not knowing how rescue will come but believing that it will.
This Advent season, as we light candles symbolizing Christ's light breaking into darkness, may we be inspired by Mary’s example. May we trust God’s promises with curiosity, humility, and expectancy—even when life’s circumstances seem overwhelming.
Like Mary, may we say:
“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”
And trust that His word will never fail.
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