For most people the next few
days are going to be very busy. There’s
food to prepare, presents to wrap, last minute shopping and, most importantly, special
services in church.
Perhaps you’ll have guests
coming to you - or maybe a journey to take yourself. On top of all that there are all the ordinary things of life.
Children, though, are just
getting excited. Christmas Day can’t
get here quick enough. Many parents, harassed
enough at this time of year, may be tempted to say, “yes, whatever” to almost
anything simply to keep the children out of their hair.
“Yes, whatever” – or as the Beatles
put it, “Let It Be”. Those words are
loosely taken from Mary’s response to God’s amazing news, given to her by
Gabriel.
The trouble is that “let it
be” sounds like a tired, passive response; like saying “yes, whatever” to the
children because we haven’t really got the energy to say anything else.
But that doesn’t do justice
to the force of Mary’s “yes” to God. She
replied to the angel with a declaration that she was the Lord’s servant and
with a definite faith-filled “yes” to God’s invitation.
