Denying the Blessing

And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

Luke 1:28-29

Everything she knew and all of the comforts she may have had seemed to be erased in one single moment, when the angel told Mary that she was having a Baby, the Son of God. 

The Word tells us that May was troubled at the angel’s words as she tried to understand. She was perplexed; how could she have a Baby, when she had not known a man?

Does this seem like a magnified version of your life? Of course, you have not had an angel tell you that you would conceive as a virgin and give birth to the Son of God. But, haven’t you had those moments when everything is going along fine, life is good, and then suddenly, news comes out of nowhere and your whole world seems to come crashing down?

Think about Mary. She was a godly girl who loved the Lord. She was engaged to Joseph. She was preparing to start a new life. And suddenly, she got news that she was going to have a Baby, even though she was a virgin. This was big news. Who would believe her? Would Joseph believe her?  In Mary’s day, adultery, or sex outside of marriage, was cause for stoning. She had to be thinking of these things as she considered the news from the Angel.

But, despite her questions and concerns, Mary did not refuse what the Lord had for her. Sure, it must not have seemed at that point like a blessing. I certainly could think of a million reasons why this would not be the right thing for me. But, Mary responds, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Mary probably could have refused. She could have complained, she could have begged God not to do this miracle through her. There are plenty of examples in the Word where people begged God not to follow through on something He said, and He permitted their request. King Hezekiah begged not to die and lived another 15 years, although this was not what the Lord had planned for him. (2 Kings 20)

But, by not accepting what God was giving, even if it didn’t seem to be such a great offer at the time, Mary would have missed out on an amazing blessing. Think of what she would have lost in the long-run. Certainly, God would still have sent His Son, but He would have used someone else. And Mary would not have had the honor, the joy of being the mother of Jesus. 

Are we guilty of sometimes refusing the blessings from God? 

We must recognize that everything that comes from God is for our ultimate good and for His perfect glory. God tells us through the prophet Jeremiah: “‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)  In James 1:17, the Word says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

The question is: Do we see everything from the Lord as a perfect gift, as something specifically designed for our ultimate good and for His glory?

We would be wise to take guidance from Mary, who sang a song of joy for the growing Baby in her womb. A song that today is known as Mary’s Magnificat. It’s not to say there won’t be tough times and trials along the way, but how much better to go through the trials that God is leading us through, than to go through the ones we can bring on ourselves by not obeying His Word?

May we see everything that comes from God as a good and perfect gift, and may we have confidence that the Lord allows whatever comes our way, and that whatever it is, it is for our best. May we have confidence in our Greatest Gift.