Faith and Wisdom in Context

Scripture: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end. Luke 1:32-33

Observation: In explaining what will happen to Mary, Gabriel never says she will give birth to the 'Messiah'. Instead, he repeats the descriptions of Messiah as found in the prophets ... Mary's son will be great, he will be called the Son of God, and he will inherit the throne of David, from which he will reign over Israel forever.

These descriptions cannot be understood except in the context of the scriptures. There is no Davidic kingship. There is nothing to reign due to Roman occupation. And the very idea that one man can be king forever is, of course, unimaginable. In other words, in any normal context, the words of Gabriel are difficult to comprehend at best, and perhaps nonsensical. However, Mary has knowledge of the scriptures, and wisdom in her faith. She immediately understands the application of these descriptions, and the implication that she will give birth to the Messiah.

It is this application of her faith that is evidence of Mary's worthiness for this call. She doesn't just respond obediently to instructions, but she understands the implications, too.

Application: I am often hoping for clarity from the Lord. Would I understand instructions if they were given to me? Do I have faith in the Lord, and wisdom about his word, to apply the guidance he would give me and know how to respond?

This is unanswerable, for if the Lord wanted to confuse me he could, or if he wanted to speak plainly he could. What I do know is that the Lord will often speak in the same language he always has, meaning his word comes from his word, the bible. As I spend time learning his word, I am more likely to have the context to understand his future words.

Prayer: Lord, Mary is an example for me when she responds so faithfully to your call on her life. I continue to wonder about mine, knowing I have likely failed to respond to your call several times, when I was young enough to actually pursue a meaningful life. I look forward to still having small things to do for you. May I respond to your words with faith and wisdom. Amen.