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Snapshot

Overview

The given theme centres on how accepting God’s will leads to divine satisfaction. putting Mary’s encounter with angel Gabriel, we could discover that her satisfaction came by the expression, “Be it unto me according to your words." Further, this satisfaction was a link between a chain of events. These events include contact, conversation, conception, and concession. In the last episode, we discussed contact. In this episode which concludes the series, we dwell on conversation, conception, and concession as a passage to accepting God’s will and the pleasure He affords those who dare walk this way.

Conversation

Mary had talks with the angel that none another person outside could know. In that singular encounter, Angel Gabriel discussed your eternal future and mine. There, angel Gabriel gave a symbolic name – Jesus – whose meaning would be later revealed to Joseph. History of conversation with angels tells that they do not converse with sinfully aimless men.

She spoke face-to-face with an angel. She discussed private matters such as pregnancy and birth with an angel. Poor her, who could not sit with a physician, now discusses conception and delivery with a supernatural being. Such a discussion was the first of its kind after Adam. No one knew divine birth could be occasioned that way, not even Adam. What a unique position!

It is one thing for God to come to visit. It is yet another for Him to come to abide. You may ascertain if God is a visitor or a resident in your heart by the kind of conversation with Him. See how long she took discussing with the angel. How long do you spend praying to God? Or how long, unknown to others, do you spend ibn your communion with God. What ended this arguably most extended conversation ever recorded between a human being and an angel? A confession of faith: “Be it unto me according to your word. We may somewhat, if not utterly truthfully, say that your faith is lame or sturdy in proportion to the extent of the length of your communion with the Lord. “Look to Jesus,” said Paul. Then you can run the hideous Christian race set before all to run. “Look and live,” was the message William A. Ogden¹ brought us from the Lord, shouting Hallelujah with it in faith. Dead faith when it communes with the living God lives too.

If by any means you have come to know the might of the promisor, you may as well lay your life on the line, boasting of His ability to perform His promise. But, in deference to Abraham, God only talks with friends. God wanted to do an eternal thing, and Mary was the very Abraham of her day from whom God could not hide His intentions. At one time past, it was destruction; this time, it is the restoration of the sons to the father; of the lost to their maker; from straying to being steady.

The angels worship God with veiled faces but God long to commune with us, men, face-to-face, on all matter and every condition. So do all others but God have access to your personal information? Well may we say, you have cast to swine and dogs precious pearls that a holy God desires. He cares, and having loved His own – you inclusive – He loved them to the end. But you, having loved your own – other people and things, you distrust God to an unimaginably poor extent. He cares about you making heaven as much as He cares about your missing pen – ignorable, you would say. But I bet you, until you have laid bare before Him, you may not be able to enjoy his covering in unthinkable extents. When last did you commune with Him? Aint you missing so much? Let your conscience answer the question.

Conception (envisioning)

She did not conceive the baby immediately, but the angel envisioned her. Every statement of the angel was futuristic and not immediate. “How shall these things be? The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;…" Are you not too prone to immediate gratification, fast food kind of grace, or an Indomie (instant noodles) sort of future to pursue any God-given goal? It is often wrongly understood that if God encounters you, you will only become either a pastor, priest, or prophet. Look at the woman God met in this passage. Did she turn a pastor, and did Joseph change his carpentry profession? What about David? Daniel? Joseph? No, if God gives you a dream, He will train you.

If God wants you to become a teacher, He will teach you first and grace you. God will make you a hardworking teacher who completes her lesson note and does everything to support his students' progress. If He envisions you in the accounting profession, He will make you an incorruptible one. If an academic, He will make you one that is above reproach. Not one around whom young women are not safe and young men are in trouble. What goal have you conceived? Many have their goals and attain them, do not get me wrong. But the truth is such attains to no spiritual fulfilment nor eternal consequence. Do not be surprised if those who are reckoned to have laurels are the corrupt ones. They often help extend the reach of evil, a subtle sort of self-believe which ousts God in idolatry. For example, if God envisions you, you will not yield to bribery everywhere found. You may be tempted to, but He will help you scale through. The goal of the godless is for the belly, but that of the godly is for the Divine – “doing all things as unto God.”

Concession

After the angel explained how “these things” shall be, her response was the most wholesome response any supernatural being could get from a natural. While the angel Gabriel was there combating and containing Zech’s grappling with unbelief, Mary made his assignment exceedingly easy to execute. She conceded in faith.

This agreement would cost her as much as any, within whom the Holy Spirit would reside. She was engaged and not married. A protruding belly will raise suspicion and accusation of prostitution. But she was contented to be reviled for God to have his way. She was satisfied to be jeered at for God to be honoured. What led to her concession

I wonder the fulfilment and peace that would have proliferated the heart of Mary that day. I wonder the encouragement she would have found in place of her reproach for being too spiritual. Can I tell you a secret? There is a peace and joy unexplainable that beclouds the soul of those you criticize – as being over-spiritual – in the name of the Lord. Because, as Peter said, the Spirit of glory baptizes them, in fulfilment to Jesus promise for any reproach resulting from standing for righteousness or standing for his name’s sake.

Conclusion

Only those with whom God can contact and commune can conceive eternal things. Then can they concede in faith, and with this comes divine satisfaction.

To whom can be said, “Blessed are you…” with whom The Holy Spirit can begin conversation, for example, “Do not be afraid.” To such can God say, “you will conceive in your womb.” Only these can accept the will of God, saying, “Be it unto me according to your word." Only such blessed people will have satisfaction.” You may have other forms of pleasure, but I can tell you they will not last because they are not divine.

How did I know she was divinely satisfied. Although circumstances might not look palatable to those, who are satisfied, by having peace in the Lord, the same always have a song of praise in their song. “He has filled and satisfied the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty-handed." was her song in the same chapter and verse 53. Thus you will either be satisfied by God’s sufficiency or constantly feel empty in your self-crafted or alternative sources of satisfaction. All who you thirst come and drink to abundance said, Jesus. That offer did not end with His death. If anything, it was fulfilled upon His resurrection. The same man stands at the door and knocks through this article. If you will hear, kindly open up. He will come and set a banquet of forgiveness while you set yours of repentance. In this feast, nothing shall be short or missing. There is guaranteed satisfaction.

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