Devotional: Willingness
“...The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus….’
‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’
The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’
‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.”
- Luke 1:30-31, 34-35, 38
This is the moment the angel, Gabriel, approached Mary with the news that she would give birth to Jesus, the Savior of the world. What stood out to me in this passage was her willingness to be God’s chosen vessel. Logically, this confused Mary because she was a virgin, but after Gabriel explained how it would be, she had no further questions. She simply answered with the willingness of a servant and trusted that God’s will would be accomplished.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I would have responded with such calmness. The what-ifs, doubts, and questions would be racing through my head.
What’s also notable about God choosing Mary is that she wasn’t anyone “special.” She simply found favor in God’s eyes and He knew she was going to be willing to answer this high calling.
Consider this passage as well:
“When [Jesus] had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ But Simon answered and said to him, ‘Master, we have toiled all night, and caught nothing. Nevertheless, at your word, I will let down the net.’ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking” (Luke 5:4-5).
This is the moment when Jesus officially calls his first disciples: Simon Peter, Andrew (mentioned in the book of Matthew), James, and John.
What stood out to me in this interaction was Simon (Peter’s) willingness to do what Jesus told him to do even though it seemed illogical. Practically speaking, there was no chance that there should all of sudden be fish to catch, yet Peter obeyed Jesus. As a result, Jesus filled their nets. Jesus wants us to participate in His miracles because it requires us to step out in faith. It’s a practical display of our trust in Him.
These are just two of many stories in the Bible where humble people have answered God’s calling. To get a quick summary of people in the Old Testament who trusted God, read Hebrews chapter 11. The one thing in common between them all was their willing hearts to obey God, even when His direction seemed contrary to human logic.
Clearly, Jesus is looking for those with a ready heart, with a willingness to follow His directions despite how irrational it might seem. This is what it means to have faith like a child. Children trust what their parents tell them because they are dependent on them for security and comfort. They don’t question the information that mom and dad tell them, but accept it as true.
Jesus said in Matthew 18:3, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” This explains why the gospel is offensive to so many. It seems illogical to the human mind that the only requirement for eternal life is to believe that Jesus is your Savior. Most people want to take credit for the idea of eternal life through their good works. However, the gospel requires a humble, childlike heart to accept that it is through faith alone.
Take a moment: Are you willing to follow Jesus?
The first step is to become His child by believing that He is your Savior. If you’re reading this, you’re probably already a believer, meaning you have a willing heart.
The second step is to become His disciple. Discipleship requires answering the call to follow His direction and commandments by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes, we expect special revelation; we want to be like Mary or Moses or Abraham and receive a specific task from God. But being His disciple begins with…
abiding in Him through quiet times of Bible study and prayer.
forgiving someone who betrayed you.
allowing the Holy Spirit’s patience to move through you when you feel like you’re at your wits end with someone.
being honest even when you are afraid of the person’s reaction.
sacrificing your time or money to help someone in need.
Being a disciple is being faithful in following the Spirit on the day-to-day tasks. These things usually go against what our human nature wants to do; this is why we need the Holy Spirit.
Additionally, this verse is key to hold onto when we wrestle with doubt: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
When we are faithful with the “little,” He will entrust us with more. When we practice our obedience, He will bless it.
I hope this devotional encourages you and challenges you to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
-Alina