A Glorious Nightනියැදිය

When Gabriel showed up in Mary’s home in Nazareth, she was likely more than a little startled and was probably shaken to the core in response to his message. Though the Bible doesn’t tell us what was swirling around in Mary’s head, it’s not difficult to imagine. She was an ordinary teenage girl from a small town in Galilee, and she was betrothed to a man named Joseph. In her culture, if she were to become pregnant out of wedlock, Joseph would probably divorce her, and she would be shamed and shunned by all her neighbors. All the dreams she had for her life would be gone—just like that.

And yet Mary didn’t push back. She didn’t say no. She didn’t tell Gabriel to find someone else. Instead, she willingly submitted to God’s plan for her life. While Mary could have responded with fear, hesitation, or refusal, she chose something else: hope. She even rejoiced in it later on (see Luke 1:46–55). Mary knew something that many of us miss: hope, joy, and peace don’t come from our circumstances, but instead, they come from knowing the Lord.

This Christmas season, you may be facing sadness, uncertainty, difficult circumstances, or situations that don’t make sense. You may feel anything but hope. But Mary’s response to God’s call shows us that hope doesn’t rely on our situation changing for the better. It is rooted not in perfect circumstances, but in a perfect God. It’s knowing that He will never leave you and is writing a story for you that’s bigger than fear and sadness. Like Mary, put your trust and hope in God. In Him, your hope is never misplaced.