Just Say Yes!

‘“I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.” Luke 1:38 (NIV)

How was Mary so accepting of her assignment from the Lord? There is no doubt that it was a glorious assignment. To carry the promised Savior and raise Him as His mother was awe-inspiring; however, it came with tremendous personal cost. Jewish law demanded that women who became pregnant out of wedlock were to be stoned to death. Even though Joseph came to her rescue and did not end their relationship, there were surely whispers and innuendos for the rest of her life.

Mary was able to be a willing servant because she knew Truth and was well acquainted with the greatness of the God. Her praise of Him in Luke 1:46-55 displays the in-depth of her knowledge of Him. She praises Him as Savior, for His mindfulness of His children, as the Mighty One, for His mercy, for His power, as the mighty but compassionate King, as Provider and as the compassionate Lord of Israel. The One who gave the assignment was no stranger to Mary. Her heart of praise reveals her deep love and respect for Him.

God has an assignment for each of us, too. He created us with a purpose in mind and with good works for His children to perform. How do we respond to His assignments for us, especially if they involve personal cost? If we have invested our lives in knowing our Savior, it will be much easier to be joyful servants. We’ll remember that He is worthy and that serving Him is its own priceless reward.

There have been times that we have all ignored His voice. Sometimes it was because of busyness. Sometimes we questioned whether it was His voice or our own. Other times it was just outright disobedience. However, I don’t want to miss any more opportunities to say “yes” to His assignment, so I’m fixing my eyes on Jesus. I want to know Jesus so well that I hear His voice and follow Him into any assignment that He gives me. I want to become a maidservant to the Lord, just like Mary. Let's make that our goal in the upcoming year.