Willing

This time of year our hearts are turning toward Christmas, and the story we know so well. There is a lot of detail in Luke 1 and 2, beginning with the origin story of John the Baptist.

Have you ever wondered why Zechariah was struck dumb for questioning the angel who gave him good news, and Mary was not? As one commentator said, we only get part of the story when the words are flat on a page. Perhaps there was a tone of unbelief or even scoffing in Zechariah’s question -“How shall I know this?” Maybe Mary’s question was an honest one- “How will this be?”

It seems Mary was immediately ready to submit herself to the will of God – “Let it be to me according to your word,” she said back to the Angel.

Luke says both were afraid when Gabriel appeared to them, and both were told not to be. Perhaps Zechariah even continued in fear after he heard the word of the Lord. Was there a difference in the willingness of each to submit to God’s plan? Some of these things we are not told explicitly in Scripture, so we can only speculate.

Mark and I were listening to the news in early November and there was talk of snow in Colorado. Many years ago, we came close to moving our family to Colorado to serve a church there. Mark said, “Just think, if we had moved to Colorado, we’d be seeing snow right now.” We sat in silence for a moment and I said, “I’m so glad we didn’t do that – but we were willing, and maybe that was the point.”

I thought about that later – that God wants our willingness. He wants a fully surrendered life. He wants obedience, rather than sacrifice. He wants us to take up our cross and follow him. He wants our hearts.

What can he do with a fully surrendered heart, mind, and life? Whatever He wills, and that, it would seem, is the point.