Embracing God's Plans for Us

By Hannah Bolden

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 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. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.’ ‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.’ ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.”—Luke 1:26–38 (NIV)

Mary’s story is one of the most extraordinary examples of ordinary faith. A young girl in a small town, preparing for marriage, is suddenly met by an angel with impossible news: she will carry the Son of God. Most of us might hesitate or doubt, as others have when faced with God’s promises. But not Mary. When Gabriel speaks, she listens. Her heart recognizes the voice of her Lord, and though she doesn’t understand how it will happen, she trusts that it will.

Mary’s response—“I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled”—reveals a posture of surrender. She doesn’t argue or bargain; she simply believes. And in that belief, the ordinary becomes miraculous. Her faith becomes the doorway through which the Savior enters the world.

But Mary’s story isn’t just about her “yes;” it’s also about her worship. Instead of giving in to fear, she lifts her voice in praise, declaring the goodness of God in what we now call The Magnificat. She rejoices that God sees the humble and lifts them up. She celebrates that His mercy reaches every generation. Even in the face of uncertainty, she chooses joy and trust over fear and doubt.

When we listen and respond like Mary, God takes our ordinary circumstances and fills them with extraordinary purpose.

Put It To Practice: Study

The Word of God is alive and active! Studying God’s Word differs from meditating on it because it involves making observations, asking questions, and thinking through real-life applications. When you study God’s Word, both individually and in community, the Holy Spirit will use it to instruct, encourage, convict, and guide you! Today, read Psalm 25:1–5 and compare what the Psalm says to what Mary’s attitude was like.

For the Family

Today’s Main Idea: I can trust and worship God, even when His plan is hard to understand.

Ask Together:

1. How do you think Mary felt when the angel told her she would be Jesus’ mom?
2. What’s one way you can show trust in God this week, even when something feels uncertain or scary?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Mary states it perfectly by singing, “For the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name” (Luke 1:49 NIV). You have done more for us than I will ever even know. Thank You! I praise You for using Mary’s life to bring about the greatest gift, Jesus. I pray I embrace all the plans You have for me, even if it goes against the world. Amen.