Advent Devotional Resource - San Francisco Theological Seminary

Luke 1:26-38Tuesday, December 22How did she do it? Say yes, that is. It happened so quickly. She was just working one moment and thenext moment the messenger was standing there, speaking to her. “Hello, favorite of God. The Lord iswith you.” What could that mean? Favored? Why? How is God with me?The message quickly gets more incredible: “You have found favor with God, you will bear a sonwhom you will name Jesus.” Yeshua, savior. She knew the meaning of the name, but her son? Sheis not yet married, not yet with her fiancé. No wonder the messenger told her not to be afraid. Ofcourse she should be anxious—after all, such news would turn her world completely upside down.What about Joseph? And this son, her child, will be called the Son of the Most High. He will occupyDavid’s throne, and his kingdom will not come to an end. Incredible. Of course she should be afraid.Surprisingly, she has only one question: “How?” The messenger’s answer leaves the realm of causeand effect and logic: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High willovershadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.” Thepower of God’s Spirit is irresistible, powerful, transformative. She is ready, even though she does notknow, really, how things will unfold. “Yes,” she says, “Yes.”This Advent, we too are invited to listen so intently to the Holy Spirit that we too are open totransformation, are ready with our “Yes!” to God’s invitation coming in the midst of our ordinarylives. What will God’s messengers say to us? How can we prepare ourselves to be so ready to trustGod?Dr. Elizabeth LiebertSFTS Dean and Vice President for Academic AffairsProfessor of Spiritual Life