Luke 1:26-33 (NIV)

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But 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. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Reflection Questions

  1. How did Mary’s faith and obedience to God serve as an example for us today? How can we trust God’s plan, even when it seems unclear?
  2. In what ways are you waiting on God to fulfill His promises in your life this Advent season?
  3. How does the promise of Jesus’ eternal reign impact the way you live today?

Devotion

In the quiet of Nazareth, God sent His messenger, Gabriel, to a young woman named Mary with an extraordinary message. In a world filled with rulers and kings, Mary was from an unnoticed town, but God had chosen her for a mission beyond anything she could have imagined. Gabriel’s words were both comforting and overwhelming. He greeted her as one who had found favor with God, and he shared that she would give birth to a son, Jesus, who would be the Son of the Most High and reign forever.

For Mary, this announcement must have seemed impossible. A virgin, engaged to be married, was told she would conceive and bear a son, not just any son, but the long-awaited Messiah. How could this be? Yet, even in her confusion and fear, Gabriel reassured her that with God, nothing is impossible. The promise of a son was more than just a personal gift to Mary—it was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel that a Savior would come to deliver His people.

This moment in history shows us how God’s plans often unfold in ways that we can’t predict. His ways are higher than ours, and He often works through the unexpected. Mary’s response was one of faith and submission, an example of trust in God’s sovereign plan. As we reflect on this passage during Advent, we are reminded that God’s promises are trustworthy, and He is at work in our lives, even when the path ahead doesn’t always make sense.