Mary, a young peasant girl living and working with her family, had no expectations any higher than the life she grew up with. Joseph, an average citizen of his little town and a carpenter by trade, sought only to marry the girl he loved and begin a normal family life. Neither one of them could have known the amazing part they would play in the presentation of the Messiah to the world, until God Himself spoke to them in gracious but final tones.
Musician, Bob Kauflin wrote a song about this incredible moment in the lives of Mary and Joseph. He says it this way in the lyrics to “One Quite Moment”:
One quiet moment, on a star-clustered night,
Two weary travelers knew an end was in sight;
So the soon-to-be mother, grasped her husband’s strong hand,
And paused to remember where the journey began.
Nine months of yearning filled with joy and with pain;
He almost had left her, but then chose to remain
Close by the woman he had not even kissed,
Who would bear him a son that would never be his.
And in one quiet moment, a woman and man
Accepted the part they would have in God’s plan;
To give up His glory, and be born as a man.
In one quiet moment.
The lyrics of this song begin as Mary and Joseph have completed a nine-month journey through pregnancy, public scorn, commitment and endurance of all the challenges they must have faced. They are just about to see the fulfillment of thousands of years of prophecies and expectations in the birth of the child that was supernaturally growing within Mary’s womb. But this moment in history might never have happened had they not said, “Yes, Lord”.
Mary was told by an angel that she would bear a son, mysteriously given by God, and that her son would be the promised Messiah. But even while she expressed bewilderment at how this thing might be, she trusted that God knew what He was doing, and that she would avail herself to him no matter what. Instead of saying, “this could never be!”, she simply said, “May it be as the Lord has said.”
Joseph did everything right according to traditions. He found a girl, asked her to marry him, made the proper arrangements with her family and announced the good news. Now she came to him with the news that she was pregnant despite the fact that they had not yet been together as husband and wife. Joseph was understandably upset, but as the word of the Lord came to him in a dream telling him not to abandon Mary, but to be her husband and the earthly father of God’s Son, he awoke to say, “Yes, Lord”.
Because of the willingness and obedience of Mary and Joseph, the promised Messiah was given to save a lost and dying world. In one quiet moment their personal wills, plans, and goals came under submission to the will of God. As a result, the world was saved.
At one point or another for you and I, it will come down to saying, “Yes, Lord”. We will experience His forgiveness, His mercy, His call, His Life, when we submit our wills and plans to the will of God. Who knows what blessings await when we follow in obedience to Him? This Christmas season, as life lays out moments of decision for you, say “Yes” to God.
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