As I read and re-read
this passage one word keeps coming up in my mind... Afraid.
Was Mary afraid? Whenever
we have something new and strange happen to us we get confused. The things
we're used to are disrupted and those little alarms go off in our head. That's
the way God made us to respond to change; it’s a kind of built -in conservatism
and defense mechanism. But while this alarm system that Mary felt is normal and
healthy, there is a dangerous and sinful kind of fear that can control us . We
often live in fear of death, fear of sickness, fear of not having enough money
to pay our bills and still be able to spend money on things we want. When fear
lives in us, as opposed to being a reaction to something new, we become warped.
We respond to situations out of fear rather than out of faith and make pretty
poor disciples. We must learn to resist fear for it's the breeding ground for
unbelief; it must not control us. When we read this passage, we see that Mary
accepted the angel's "Fear not" at face value. I pray that we as
disciples can learn from Mary and learn to not be Afraid.
Prayer: Lord, Help me to
not be afraid, to serve with joy and not with a grudging or complaining
attitude. Help me to be a servant of whom you can be proud. Help me be like
Mary. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Tonya Moore
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