"Be It Unto Me"
“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to
your word. And the angel departed from her.”- Luke 1:38
Those words of Mary are in response to the angel’s announcement to her, “The
Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall
overshadow you: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called
the Son of God.” – Luke 1:35 That conception was unique in history, but Mary’s
response to the message of the coming of the Spirit upon her was not.
Her willingness to receive the Spirit for that birth was the same response of
submission everyone makes who receives birth from Above.
Jesus came into our midst by that mysterious overshadowing of the Holy Spirit
over Mary. He became flesh and blood through that miracle within her body. For
the Spirit of Jesus to come and abide within us, we must open our hearts to
receive him. The rebellion that began in the garden must be replaced by a
willingness for our Creator to reign over us. When the Spirit speaks to our
heart, we make our most important choice – to surrender – or harden our heart
against him. Rebellion against God is universal, receiving him is intimate.
Both responses to God are found in Acts. On Pentecost those listening to Peter
were “pricked in their hearts”. This convicting produced submission, and they
asked what they must do to be saved. In Acts 7, Stephen’s word to the Jewish
leaders is rejected, and he said, “you do always resist the Holy Spirit, as
your fathers did, so do you.” – vs. 51 These are examples of the decision
everyone makes – for or against God. Other records of God’s working are found
in Acts 5:31, 11:18, 16:14. See also 2 Timothy 2:25.
The God who made all things has always sought intimate relation with us. Each
of us has pulled away from him like a stubborn child. Rebellion can only be
reversed by submission. It is tragic that many of us have been diverted from
submission to our Creator by self-righteous religion, and church projects.
Jesus promised that those who seek will find, and eternal life is to know the
Father and himself.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20
1/26/04