The Great Unknown

Luke 1:28&29 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”  Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

The great unknown can be a scary thing. By that I mean when we encounter situations where we are walking into a totally unknown situation, there can be a sense of fear along with a sense of adventure.  The adrenalin is usually flowing in these situations.  The human instinct to fight or flee is difficult to control in some situations. In these situations we pray for the peace of God to surround us.

Mary is confronted with a confusing and conflicting situation when she is greeted by the angel Gabriel. He is an imposing figure. Not the cherub figures we see frequently depicting angels. Look at the back cover of the devotionals and you get a better idea what angels look like. And face it, you just do not see angels walking (or for that matter flying) around every day. So the appearance of Gabriel is disconcerting to say the least. Mary was not expecting a visit from an angel, and yet there was Gabriel.  She was facing the unknown, and it happened rather suddenly. So what was she to do? Should she follow the instinct to fight or flee? Or should she trust in God?  We know from scripture that she chose to hear what the angel Gabriel had to say and she trusted in God. For you and I, that is the prudent thing for us to do. We need to listen to what God has to say in His word. We need to stay connected in prayer to the Lord. We need to prayerfully consider all aspects of our lives and trust in the Lord. Many wonderful possibilities can be realized when we listen to and wait upon the Lord. Reflecting on Mary’s situation, look at what happened in her life when she followed the will of God. Just imagine the possibilities in your own life when you listen to and follow the Lord.

PRAYER: Lord of all things visible and invisible. You reign supreme in our lives. Help us when we encounter the unknown to be strong and faithful to You and Your will in our lives. Guide us and comfort us. Let Your peace, the peace that surpasses all human understanding flow into our lives. We ask this in the name of the Prince of Peace, Your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen