As Protestant Christians we do not share in the Roman Catholic worship accorded to Mary, the mother of Jesus. We do not find merit for it in God's Holy Word. However, it is probably true to say that we have overreacted to this Catholic thinking and not given due respect to a woman who was not only the mother of our Lord and Saviour, but also a great person of faith. At Christmas time it is natural for us to consider this godly woman and, in particular, I wish to focus on her faith as expressed in the verse above.

The situation which elicited this response is well known to us. God had sent the angel Gabriel down to Mary in order to tell her that she was to be His chosen instrument for bringing the long-awaited Messiah into the world. The virgin Mary's first reply was, "How can this be, since I have no husband?" Whereupon Gabriel explained to her that she would conceive through the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon her. This leads to Mary's next response, the one highlighted above, a beautiful response of trust in God's promises, a response to be emulated by all those who live in a faith relationship with God.

"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." Attempt to place yourself in Mary's situation. Here is a young Jewish girl, probably 17 or 18 years old, in love with Joseph, and suddenly she is told she is going to give birth to a child. Her most natural reaction would have been to reject the idea and ask for it not to happen out of fear of what Joseph might think. But Mary did not do this. Neither did she go out and somehow try to produce this child with her own abilities. That would be impossible. Instead she simply offered herself unto God to do the things He said He would do, and Jesus was born. In response to God's promise, she gave herself in faith expecting God to do the miraculous.

Herein is an important lesson for all believers, one especially pertinent on the turn of a new year. It is common for all of us on each New Year's Eve to make one or two vows which we hope will improve our lives. Unfortunately these vows usually get broken within the first week of the year. They point out to us the reality of our human frailty and sinfulness. Now the desire for change is a good one, however, as Christians who know a loving and all-powerful God, is it not wise for us to approach a new year by relying on Him rather than ourselves? -

This is what we see in the spirit of Mary. A miraculous change was brought about in her as a result of her trust in God's promise. We too have God's great promises given to us. God has assured His chosen people that he is doing a good work in us (Phil. 1:6), conforming us to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29), changing us from one degree of glory to another (11 Cor. 3:18). How blessed! How miraculous!

This sanctifying process is no less miraculous than the birth of our Saviour and we are as unable to accomplish it ourselves as Mary was able to conceive a child on her own. So what is to be our response? Like Mary, we must simply offer up ourselves and look to God expecting Him to fulfill these wonderful promises in our lives. This is God glorifying faith which relies on His strength, not our own; a faith through which God's grace flows.

May this coming year be one in which we, like Mary, live by faith in God's promises and experience His mighty grace changing our lives.