Mary’s Surrender

When Heaven Waits for a “Yes”

Luke 1:26–38

God uses ordinary people to carry extraordinary purposes.

Your yes to God opens the door for Him to work in and through your life.

At Christmas, we revisit a familiar story—Mary and Joseph, shepherds and wise men, a manger and a newborn King. Yet before the angels sang and the star appeared, the story began quietly with a young woman receiving unexpected news that would change everything.

In Luke 1:26–38, we meet Mary—young, ordinary, and from Nazareth, a town of little significance. She wasn’t a queen or a priest, didn’t hold power or influence, yet God chose her. Her only distinction was her willingness to be used. God often works this way, choosing ordinary people to carry extraordinary purposes.

When the angel Gabriel appeared and declared God’s favour, Mary was confused and troubled. She was told she would conceive and give birth to a son who would reign forever. This moment became a crossroads—a “sliding doors” moment—where Mary had to decide how she would respond. Like her, we all face moments where faith and fear collide, where obedience feels costly, and surrender feels uncertain.

Imagine if Mary had allowed fear to outweigh trust—if she had turned away. God’s plan would still have stood, but the privilege of participation would have passed to another. This imagined version of the story reminds us that while God’s purposes are unstoppable, our involvement is a choice.

But Mary didn’t say no. When faced with the impossible, she trusted God. She asked honest questions, listened, and ultimately responded with surrender:

“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

That simple yes changed history.

Mary’s response shows us what surrender looks like. It is not passive resignation but active trust. It often interrupts comfort, challenges our desire for control, and requires obedience without full understanding. Fear will always speak, but faith chooses to trust the One who sees the full picture.

Scripture reminds us that God’s ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55), and when we surrender, His Word produces fruit—peace, joy, and lives that honour Him. Saying yes does not remove hardship, but it places us at the centre of God’s purpose.

So what does surrender look like for us?

First, it flows from relationship. Mary’s trust came from knowing God, not simply knowing about Him.
Second, it looks like obedience in uncertainty—trusting God’s character when the path is unclear (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Third, surrender produces transformation. When we say yes, God works all things together for good (Romans 8:28), shaping our lives into testimonies of His grace.

The question for each of us is simple but challenging: What is the yes God is asking of you? It might involve forgiveness, courage, obedience, or letting go of control. Whatever it is, your yes matters.

Mary’s story invites us to go deeper—to deeper trust, deeper surrender, and deeper partnership with God. When we say yes, God’s extraordinary purposes flow through our ordinary lives.