Read: Luke 1:26–38
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38
Mary said, “I accept.” An angel of the Lord told Mary she would become an unwed pregnant woman in a culture that often condemned such women to death. The angel didn’t say she had a choice in the matter, but Mary’s willingness to play whatever role was assigned to her is impressive all the same.
When we are given assignments, we often accept them grudgingly, and perhaps even approach them halfheartedly. Mary was given a heavy burden to carry—a daunting chore—and the hymn of praise she sings in the following chapter lets us know she embraced her role with enthusiasm and even joy.
Can you approach the chores and work you are assigned with joy—as if the work itself was a gift from God?
Lord, the work You set before me often seems like a burden. And yet, I have this feeling that if I approach my duties with the right mindset, the work itself might be a blessing and a joy. Thank You for the productive work You will set before me today. Keep me ever mindful of those people who long for work—who long for a sense of meaning, purpose, and worth, only to find that it eludes them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN.