blessed is she who believes

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a trusting heart

Of course, Mary’s willing obedience would have been unthinkable without another essential condition of heart: trust. Indeed, had Mary not already possessed an unwavering trust in the character of the One who made her such a mind-blowing proposition, her response must have come with a great deal more deliberation. Instead, we see her immediately assenting to the angel’s extraordinary invitation to bear the Son of God. 

This example of ready agreement on Mary’s part would not have been an isolated event, for her relative Elizabeth affirms this aspect of Mary’s character. When Elizabeth’s own miraculously conceived child leaps in her womb at Mary’s greeting, the older woman prophecies blessing over the mother of her Lord, saying:

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” ~ Luke 1:45 NIV

What was it, exactly, that Mary believed? Her actions here confirm her belief in God as Promise-Maker, Promise-Keeper. She believed that He is both willing and able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (see Ephesians 3:20). And she believed that He is the Giver of all good gifts and the rewarder of those who seek Him (James 1:17; Hebrews 11:6).

These and countless more beautiful truths made up the substance of Mary’s faith, a faith that allowed her to trust in the reality of what she could not see (Heb. 11:1). At that crucial moment, she could have allowed her fears and uncertainties to sweep her down a turbulent stream of what-ifs and why me’s. Instead, she chose to anchor her hope in the certainty of God’s character. In the absence of clarity, she chose to trust; in the face of reasonable doubt, she chose to believe.

This brings us to the next question … Will you position yourself before Jesus like the unnamed father desperate for his child’s healing? “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 NIV). In this season of the unexplainable, the uncertain, the impossible, will you allow His grace to overcome your doubt? Will you allow His love to put your fears to flight and step into the unknown with hope?

Will you take His hand?

continue to part 3 ...