“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom, there will be no end.”^[1]
Luke 1:30-33

Read Luke 1:26-38

I love going on rollercoasters. I am also terrified to go on a rollercoaster. Does anyone feel the same way? When I was in Middle School, my friend took me to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Cedar Point is the rollercoaster Mecca in America. On one trip, Tommy and I waited over two hours to ride in the very front car of The Magnum. When we went, it was the tallest (over 200 ft) and fastest (72 mph) in the world.

We were filled with excitement as we waited in line. The closer we got to the ride, the more excited we became. We were bubbling with anticipation when we sat down in the front seat. But when the cars started moving and we began climbing the 200’ hill, I was filled with dread. Somewhere down that hill, I may have blacked out, but as the ride progressed, fear was pushed away by adrenaline. By the time we stopped, we were ready to ride again.

I imagine that life felt a bit like a rollercoaster for Mary. An angel appeared before her, telling her she would miraculously have a child. This would not just be any child but would be called the Son of the Most High! That thrill must have turned to agony over convincing Joseph, her fiancé, that this was from God. In the end, Mary responded, “May it be to me as you have said.” In the excitement and fear of the moment, she said yes to God.

Sometimes, God calls us to do something that fills us with excitement and even trepidation. One preacher said, “If God leads you to it, God will lead you through it.” Mary was given everything she needed to treasure the excitement and handle the challenges ahead. As you say yes to God, you will be called into deeper levels of intimacy and obedience; God will give you everything you need to follow where God leads. You may need to hold tight because it will be quite the ride!

God,
Give me the courage to follow wherever you lead me.
Help me to enjoy the times of blessings and to be faithful
in times of struggle.
Be near me at all times.
Amen.

^[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Lk 1:30–33.