Day Twenty – Written by Pastor Melissa Singleton
Biblical Example: Mary (Luke 1:38-40)
Prayer Focus: The Global Church
Whenever we go to a restaurant, many of us often hope to have a great server! When you think about it, what are the things that make a great server? Quick responses, timeliness, attention to detail, willing attitude, to name a few.
Unfortunately, many of us have had an experience or two with servers that may not have been as willing or responsive as we had hoped…and this only affects our food in the moment! But imagine if there was hesitation, delay, or an avoidance of the call coming from Mary. Generations to come would’ve experienced the effects. Now picture what could happen if each of us was as surrendered and willing servants as Mary was, with every prompting declaring, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”
Mary, the mother of Jesus, was one of the greatest examples of what it looks like to provide immediate and full service in Scripture. Note that Mary was chosen because she found favor with God: it was no accident. She was a teenage girl when an angel shared the Good News with this favored girl, but what was “Good News” for mankind might not have felt like “good news” for her. Finding out she was to be pregnant likely terrified her. The mere idea must’ve threatened her reputation as an unmarried woman, robbing the stability she could’ve found in her fiancé, and stripping away her confidence as she’s faced with the task of raising the Son of God. Still, she recognized the most powerful detail in this situation: the Holy Spirit was with her, God had chosen her, and she had found favor with Him.
Mary might have had to let go of what she previously thought favor looked like in order to fully serve God. Similarly, we can easily live under a false sense of favor because things are going well when He gives us blessings like jobs, and stability, or “stuff.” Real favor often brings trials as it tests our faith. People may not understand the call of God on our lives or the sacrifices we make, but we must learn to let go of what we expect favor to look like so that we can take hold of the incredible things God has called us to.
Mary’s favor was not found in how equipped, how rich, or how experienced with motherhood she was, but favor was found as she lived to serve the Lord’s heart. She responded with a humble “OK, I’m in!” when she said, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”
As we examine our hearts during this fast, can we honestly repeat the words, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said?” Let’s pray that we and the Global Church will be empowered to rise and accept the call to reach our world as the bride of Christ, the Lord’s servants.
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