Presence: The Arrivalਨਮੂਨਾ

The Arrival_3 : Saying Yes to God’s Story

Mary’s yes changed history. Her surrender was not passive—it was courageous. Advent reminds us that God’s story is both vast and intimate: stretching across millennia yet shaped by the obedience of ordinary people.

We, too, stand in the tension of an unfinished story. God continues His redemptive work through willing hearts. Advent calls us to pause, resist hurry, and respond in faith—just as Mary did.

The poem below draws us into that holy moment where eternity touched a young girl’s simple, trusting yes.

Poem: Unfinished Story — Chris Matthews

Tell me a big story

Arcing across millennia

Weaving through countless lives and landscapes

Climates and cultures;

Let it unfold with drama and intrigue,

Tell me of bravery and heroic exploits,

Friendship and betrayal,

Humanity and injustice.

Make it a history with full disclosure,

A sweeping narrative of a garden lost

And a journey of re-discovery.

But speak too of ordinary lives,

So much more than extras

In the developing drama:

Holy and hidden.

Of countless faithful deeds and unseen kindnesses;

Heart-stirring they bear the maker's mark

And play their part in disarming a greater darkness.

In the telling, pause at a crucial moment,

As the future rests tenderly in the hands

Of a teenage girl who answers yes,

Her willing surrender the most decisive of moments.

Such wholehearted humility providing

A threshold moment like no other:

God

With

Us.

And I choose to linger in this pause,

To wait as an act of defiance,

To rebel against hurry,

To be formed by ancient wisdom

Rooted in this unfinished story of God.

Reflection Question

What might it look like for you to say “yes” to God in a fresh way today?

Prayer

Father, give me Mary’s courage and trust. Help me say yes to Your leading, even when the path is uncertain. Shape my heart to respond with faith and humility. Amen.