Here Is the Lord's Servant

When Adam and Eve sinned, they hid from God.  It says,
Genesis 3:8–10 (ESV) And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

They hid from the presence of the Lord in shame, and when God called to them, His words were intentional and important for the work Jesus would accomplish: "Where are you?" To which Adam and Eve said, "I was naked and I hid myself."  In other words, I am distant. I am not where you want me. I am unavailable. 

But when the angel Gabriel announces the news to Mary that she will give birth to the Savior... her response is the opposite of Adam's.  She said, "Behold, I am the Lord's servant."  That word "Behold" can mean "here is"... Where Adam failed God and hid, Mary was found by God and came out of the shadows of shame to be were God wanted her.

And there's more to what she said...
Luke 1:38 (ESV) And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary offered herself nakedly.  "Let it be to me according to your WORD."  I don't know what exactly to expect, but let it be.  And she remarks that it will happen by the WORD of the Lord.  How incredible.  In Genesis 3, the Word of God scares a sinful man and woman.  In Luke, the work of Salvation to bring about the incarnate Word of God comes through a willing servant.  

At the end of the day, that's all God wants from us.  Availability to be whatever His Word makes us to be.  She receives the WORD of the LORD and something is birthed in her life that would forever change the course of her life and history.  The WORD recreates Mary from a poor village Jewish girl to the woman through whom the LORD would come.

I wonder what the WORD could do in you.

PRAYER:
Father, let it me to me according to your Word.  Recreate me, change me, transform me, renew me by your Word.  I am here.  For you.  Amen.


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