"Blessed are you" (for an Advent devotional booklet)

And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” (Luke 1:28)

(The angel said to Mary), “For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to Your word.” (Luke 1:37-38)

I've never had a baby, and I certainly wasn't called to be the Messiah's mother.
But I am blessed by Mary's faithfulness as Christ's mother. And I am blessed by God's gift of His Son.

When I reread the verses in Luke 1 just now, I was amazed at Mary’s poise. Yes, she “was troubled” at the angel’s words, but before she could say anything, the angel continued, telling her she, a virgin, would conceive a child Whose father would be God. Mary didn’t interrupt the angel, and by the time the angel finished speaking (“for with God nothing will be impossible”), she humbly accepted her calling.

But it seems to me this isn’t just Mary's story. God is calling each of us. What will my response be? Will I believe that nothing is impossible with God? Will I live with that kind of faith?

I pray that I will follow Mary’s example and humbly submit to God’s calling and that my spirit continually will rejoice in God my Savior, Who because of His great love, sent His Son so that I and all of His people could be forgiven of our sins and spend eternity with Him!

(Submitted Nov. 22 for the church's Advent devotional booklet)

I had many more thoughts that didn't make it into my little piece, because I wanted to keep it as short as possible and couldn't quite frame all my thoughts. I also ran into the deadline and had to trust God that what was written when it was time to let go was what it was supposed to be. That's so hard for me!!!!!)