And that is what you call “having guts,” or being fearless.” And there are less polite sayings that will not get said here. But really, Ahaz? God asks you to ask and you don’t ask? Who are you? What are you? Why are you? Even Isaiah is bent out of shape and perplexed, at best —
“Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God?”
There are often divine moments in the scriptures where God seems to poke into people’s lives with invitations, gifts, or even expectations. Sometimes people are ready for them, and sometimes not.
Today this young girl from a not really important place gets such a divine invitation and expectation. Unlike Ahaz — although perplexed by it and not quite sure how or why it could come about — she asks a few questions, but she responds with total trust and total acceptance.
Mary gives the ultimate response for which we are all grateful, as she raises the bar for all of us in just how we could and should respond to God’s invitations and expectations in our lives —
“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Mary had a little lamb. Oops! Wrong Mary!
Mary had an angelic moment, and she met the moment well. She surrendered her heart and soul to God, and to this day we all call her blessed!
And so should God poke into our life today, how would and should we respond? And really, God’s word is so much a part of our faith experience; doesn’t he poke into our lives every day, even multiple times?
Thank you, Mary, for modeling just what our response could and should be!
