Mary’s Choice
Main Point: Your plans may be disrupted by your current circumstances, but God’s plan never is.
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.” —Luke 1:26-28
God is
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. —Psalm 34:18
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.” —Luke 1:29-33
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” —Luke 1:34
Sometimes God’s
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon 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. Even Elizabeth, your relative, is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.” —Luke 1:35-37
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. —Luke 1:38
We don’t have to understand
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
—Luke 2:19
Even when our circumstances are beyond our
Takeaway: Trust God enough to let Him guide your path.
Discussion Questions
How does Mary’s response to the angel’s message inspire you in situations where God’s plan doesn’t align with your own?
In what ways have you seen God use unexpected circumstances to bring about something good in your life?
Why do you think it’s hard for us to trust God’s plans when they don’t make sense to us?
How can we find peace when we’re facing circumstances beyond our control, knowing that God’s plan never fails?
Table Discussion Question: How does reflecting on God’s past faithfulness, like Mary did in Luke 2:19