And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:38 (NASB)
When I read today’s verse, I was reminded of the story of Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3 and his call to go back to Egypt. From chapter three to four we see a distinct contrast between the more mature Moses and the young Mary in our text today. To say that Moses wasn’t keen is an understatement; he makes five excuses to God as to why he wasn’t the man for the job. These are worthy of a future study for our edification; in Moses, we can see ourselves. But look at Mary, a young girl from a humble background, but one who obviously knew her scriptures. She makes no excuses but instead completely surrenders to the will of God – what an excellent example of faith she is to us.
My own life of faith has not always been one of total surrender; I did try to hold onto little corners of my life for me. But one year in a tent meeting near Malvern in England, the Holy Spirit touched me and demanded my all for God. At that moment when “I Surrender All” was sung by the congregation, I did just that and suddenly felt indescribable freedom. Throughout the years since then, I have needed to reaffirm my commitment, topping up my surrender level from new challenges that have occurred – the surrendered life is a lifetime commitment.
Dear Reader, what areas of your life are you holding onto for yourself? Or have you surrendered your all to serving God? The surrendered life is not about what talents we have, but it is about being available and willing to do what God asks… He will equip you for the tasks ahead as He did for Moses!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
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