Day 32

Today is the Annunciation, the commemoration of the day that Gabriel appeared to Mary, to tell her she would bear God's Son.

I love several things about this appearing. I had a friend in college who wouldn't be a Christian because Christianity treats women so poorly. I told her to please consider Jesus, who treated women better than anyone in His culture. Now I would remind her that God entrusted His Son to a woman-a young, single, poor one at that.

Secondly, I love that Gabriel didn't check with Mary's father. Doesn't that tick the patriarchalists off? And since scholars believe she was in her mid-teens, she was probably living in her father's household. But God sent Gabriel to Mary. And He entrusted to her the plan of salvation.

For every woman who's feared for their child--that they wouldn't be born, that they wouldn't survive their first bike ride, or having their driver's license, or whatever, there is Mary. Her Son was born to die a gruesome painful death. She was willing to risk losing her friends and family (and almost lost her fiance) to please God.

At the moment of the Annunciation, she couldn't have known all that she would go through....A long donkey ride at 9 months pregnant, delivering in a stable, a flight to Egypt, watching her son die on a cross. But God knew what she was capable of.

When I remember that, I more confidently say "yes" to the things I am called to do. Because even if I don't feel it, God wouldn't ask if He didn't know I was able. And I wouldn't want to miss out on His plan.