Mary: A Costly Calling

“And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” — Luke 1:38 ESV   

When Mary had an encounter in which she was called to give birth to Jesus, she received it well. Mary joins the ranks of Isaiah and Paul and others who had an encounter that drowned out their fear of what other people thought about them and their calling. Mary knew she would face rejection and ridicule for her claim that she had never known a man, yet was pregnant. She knew that her life would be constantly bombarded with drama and negative attention. She knew she would be cast out from most social circles, and even rejected by family. Think about when Mary and Joseph were looking for a place to spend the night and were considering the very real probability that Jesus would be born at any moment. You are certainly familiar with the phrase, “there was no room for them at the inn” (Luke 2:7). 

Scholars who have studied the cultural background have brought something to our attention. “The inn” was not a hotel. It was most likely a relative’s house. Nobody wanted to associate themselves with Mary. Before Jesus was rejected by his own people (as John 1:11 says, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him”), Mary was rejected by her own family. And this was simply the price she was willing to pay to be used by God in order to bring the Savior into the world.

When Mary says in Luke 1:38, “Let it be to me according to your word,” she is essentially saying, “Lord, I will do whatever you say.” In the same passage, when she wondered how this would all take place, she was given this promise: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35). When you say to him, “Let it be to me according to your word,” He reassures you that not only will that word come to pass, but as you surrender to him, it will come to pass by his power, and not your own.

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This blog is an excerpt from Robert Presson’s devotional book, “People Of His Presence,” available on Amazon: Click here to purchase on Amazon.  Alternatively, the book is available for free when you give a donation of any amount to City Revival Ministries at  cityrevivalnola.com/give. Please indicate that you would like the book when you give.