In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. – Luke 1:26-38 (ESV)
Advent begins with a whisper – a promise spoken into ordinary life. In Luke’s Gospel, that whisper comes to Mary, a young woman in Nazareth whose life is suddenly interrupted by the angel Gabriel. His message is astonishing: she will bear the Son of God. Her response? Not immediate clarity. Not perfect peace. The text says Mary is “greatly troubled” and asks, “How will this be?” She feels what any of us would feel when God’s call reaches beyond our understanding.
And yet – she stays in the conversation.
Mary listens again as Gabriel reminds her of God’s character: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Hope takes root because Mary remembers who God is, not because she comprehends what is about to happen. Her “yes” isn’t grounded in certainty about the future; it’s grounded in confidence in God’s faithfulness.
Advent hope is like that. It often begins in the space between confusion and courage. It grows when we choose obedience even while our questions remain unanswered. Mary teaches us that hope is not the absence of fear; it’s the willingness to trust God in the midst of it. She shows us that the real miracle of Advent is not just the child she carried, but the faith she carried first.
Her final words – “let it be to me according to your word” – become a model for us… a simple, brave surrender, a hope filled “yes” offered before she could see how God would fulfill His promise.
As we’re wrapping up this first week of the Advent season: Mary’s story invites us to reflect:
What promise of God feels beyond your understanding right now?
Where do you feel troubled, uncertain, or unprepared?
What might God be asking you to trust him with today?
Advent is the season of impossible possibilities. And hope – true biblical hope – begins when we dare to echo Mary’s faithful words: “Lord, I don’t see the whole path, but I trust you. Let it be according to Your word.”
May we spend this Advent season with a hope that listens, a hope that trusts, a hope that says “yes.”