Monday Devotional - "Are You a Follower?"

Mary & Joseph – Luke 1:38 (TNIV) 38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me according to your word." Then the angel left her.

In today's passage from Luke, Mary declares that she is "the Lord's servant." Based on what we know about Mary, this seems like a natural declaration for her to make...after all, the Savior of the World is growing inside her young womb. However, today let's take a little closer look at what this really means....what does a "Lord's servant" look like?

1) We serve God without fully understanding everything - Mary certainly didn't understand all that was happening to her. After all she was pregnant...young...and told by a glowing angel that she was going to give birth to the Messiah... While this seems like a lot, there is a lot of detail missing here... If we are going to be true servants of God we must serve Him without the need to know every single element of His plan for our lives. It's not blind faith...it's trusting obedience.

2) We serve God without condition - When Mary is told of her destiny, it's very important to note what doesn't happen. She doesn't barter with God. She doesn't ask a thousand questions... and she doesn't establish what she will and won't do. Oftentimes we want to serve God...but only if we get to set the terms... Notice the last line of today's passage "May it be to me according to your word." This is another way of saying..."I will do whatever you are saying..." Mary is clear to this representative of God that she will follow God's direction as His servant...not her own. It is the equivalent of writing out a blank contract, signing the bottom, and letting God fill in the details...

Servants follow without always fully understanding and without condition. Why? Because they trust who is leading them.

Are you a servant of God? This morning, take some time to reflect and journal about how your character and willingness to serve stacks up against Mary...and then ask God to help you develop this critical part of your Christian walk.

Pastor Brian