Responding to God's call- with obedience

Have you ever wondered why God took the risk of entrusting the birth of His son to a young unmarried Hebrew girl? What would have happened to Christmas if Mary had said no to the angel Gabriel? Did God have a Plan B?

  ‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.'
                                                                            Luke 1:38

 Painters, song-writers and poets have tried to imagine what Mary was thinking. Here's one of the most recent versions- Dai Woolridge and his wife Cath re-imagining Mary's song for The Bible Society

 Mary's Song- Spoken Truth

 When God called to Mary, her response was 'Yes'.

 Paul's story, too, hinged on another response to God's call made out of obedience and trust that God knows what He is doing, even if the call doesn't make any sense to us.

In his blindness, Paul was led to Damascus and stayed there for 3 days. There was a group of believers living in Damascus, who had heard of this man and his mission to root out and persecute the followers of Jesus. One of these was Ananias

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’
‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered.
The Lord told him, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.  In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.’
‘Lord,’ Ananias answered, ‘I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.’
 But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.  I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’
                                                         (Acts 9: 10-15)

Most of us call upon the Lord to make us more comfortable- to free us from pain and anxiety, to provide for our needs and our wants, to hide us under the shadow of His wing.
What if God is calling us to an uncomfortable choice? What if God's call to us involves taking a risk, acting opposite to what caution or common sense would advise, believing the impossible? Would we still be able to say yes?


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