My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen (Luke 1:46–55 NRSV)
Are you interruptible? I think about this a lot when I am knee-deep in a task – or honestly something less godly like scrolling on my phone – and my husband or our kids interjects a question or comment toward me. Sometimes I am not even paying enough attention to hear what they say. Other times, my attention is so divided – like trying to listen to two conversations going on in a room at once – I completely miss the content of what they are saying. It is a bad habit, and one the Lord is working with me on. Certainly, there are times where focused attention is needed and our current task or duty IS the one we should be solely concentrating on. However, as a rule, do we respond to interruptions with exasperation and frustration – or softness and openness to what the Spirit might be doing?
This passage in Luke is Mary’s response following the angel’s interruption of her life. Not just any interruption either – the trajectory of an unwed teenage girl’s life has been moved in a dramatically different direction. Her response to this interruption in Luke 1 is to say, “May it be to me as you have said.” Moreover, in Luke 1:46–55 we find her singing a song to God in reply. We have no evidence of her hesitation to join in God’s work, even though it will cost her greatly. What kind of relationship with God has a grid for that? I often muse what my response might have been. It sometimes makes me uncomfortable. I like when life is predictable and follows according to my plan and expectations.
Now, it is unlikely God will make a life-altering request of you, but each day we walk with him, he is calling us to some type of obedient response. How does your heart react to his promptings, his interruptions to what you might have scheduled for yourself this day? If he entered the room right now, or sent an angel with a message, would your response be, “. . . Maybe later”?
Mary speaks of the sense of joy she has in being a part of God’s work to bring his true wholeness to the world through her. She cannot help but express her gratitude that she is part of his Kingdom work. She is responsive and entirely interruptible. It is beautiful. It is also our call as followers of Jesus. We give ourselves this title of followers, but sometimes we forget the actual following part. I know there are so many days when I’d rather lead the charge, get my to-do list done, and feel accomplished in the ministry he has given me – to the point where I might actually miss the real ministry in front of me.
You and I are called to the reconciling work of God today. You and I can walk out his new way of living to a world that is hungry for real life. There are times when that way of living leads us to the cross – and deep sacrifice. Are we still willing to follow there? It could be you are following him in a difficult path right now, and Mary’s song might be the encouragement you need to spur on your continued obedience. His way, even in the difficulties, is a way of joy – where we get to be a part of what God wants to do. There is no better place to be than at the centre of God’s will.
I encourage you today to speak Mary’s song of praise to the Lord, and then listen carefully for the way he might be interrupting or redirecting you today. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit!
Christine Okken is the executive assistant to Dr. Harry Kelm, the NAB executive director.
