Every detail recorded of the birth of our Savior in the Scriptures is filled with so many wonderful and amazing truths. One can read the account of the birth of our Savior over and over again and it never seems to fail that you will find a new nugget of information you either never saw before or the Holy Spirit allows something wonderful to suddenly jump out at you.

As I was reading the account in Luke 1:26-38 where the birth of Jesus is foretold, the Holy Spirit caused something I have read so many times before to suddenly jump out to me and then caused me to ponder about what I just read.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a peasant girl, a resident of Nazareth, most likely from the tribe of Judah in the line of David and pledged to be married to Joseph the carpenter. Some accounts put Mary’s age when she was betrothed to Joseph somewhere between 12-14 years old.  When I look back to the time I was 12-14 years old, I find a skinny, uncoordinated young boy who knew little if anything about life. I was girl crazy but wouldn’t know what to do with a girlfriend if I could ever get one. I was in ‘in love’ many times between the ages of 12-14 years old and I thought I knew everything.

My voice was going all over the face and like most teenagers, I struggled with my complexion. Having to get in front of class to speak about anything would cause my sweat glands to go beyond crazy.

At this very same young age, Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel and doesn’t have a panic attack, like most of us would. Gabriel lays down some very serious things that are about to take in this very young girl’s life, yet we continue to see some amazing confidence in Mary.

At that age, had you told me we were suddenly having a pop quiz or a girl I really like wanted to talk to me, you would have seen one very panicked young boy.

After Mary hears everything Gabriel declares is about to take place in her life, though Mary doesn’t quite totally understand it all, we hear this 12-14 year old girl say: “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.” 

I have followed the Lord for over 43 years and I too am a servant of the Lord, yet I am sad to say that at times I find myself struggling to do even some of the easier things the Lord has asked of me. If there is anything I could ask of the Lord for this Christmas is that I would have the same spirit of boldness as young Mary had.

Though I may not understand everything the Lord is asking of me or even how it will come about, I pray my response would be like Mary’s: “I am Your servant Lord, may it be to me as You have said!”

Feliz Navidad!! A very blessed and wonderful Christmas to you, servant of the Lord!!!

Photo by Walter Chávez on Unsplash