Mary, the mother who teaches her children to say "yes"

The Gospel of Luke is special because both Elizabeth and Mary have their own voice—their own thoughts. In other words, we don’t get them filtered through someone else.

Elizabeth tells about the experience of shame connected to her and Zechariah’s inability to have children. Zechariah thought the angelic announcement that they would be expecting was too good to be true. Elizabeth believed it. She said, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people” (Luke 1.25). God saw her and was doing his God-thing, shame alleviation! But, she still had to wait for her baby. This is the way a believer waits. It is the difference between pregnant waiting and plain waiting. Plain waiting is fingers-crossed. Pregnant waiting has a due date. Plain waiting is based on a wish. Pregnant waiting is based on a promise.

Mary tells us her story and sings her song and it reaches our ears, “all generations will call me blessed for the Mighty One has done great things for me” (Luke 1.48). One reason I call Mary “blessed” is because she is like a mother who teaches her children to say, “yes.” Children don’t need to be taught to say “no.” “No” comes with the package of being born into this world of sin. Old Eve (and Adam) passed on a chilling “no” and we have all said it to God ourselves. “Yes” must be taught—it goes against our nature. The Spirit who filled Mary’s womb with the Word of God—Jesus Christ, demonstrated God’s favor by empowering a “yes” in her. The same Spirit who filled Mary, fills you! Like a mother, Mary teaches us to say “yes” to the will of God, the work of God.

Church, we are waiting. Our waiting is not plain. We are pregnant. Expecting! There is a due date.

Church, we have a God who is at work—above, below and beyond our understanding. We learn our “yes” from Mary. Say with her, “Let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1.38).