Luke 1: I Am the Lord’s Servant

Chapter one of Luke’s Gospel shares the account of the angel Gabriel who appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus. After explaining how this would take place, we find the response for which she would be known throughout generations: “I am the Lord’s servant.”

Interestingly, everyone who played a role in the life of Jesus in Luke came as a servant. Mary, Elizabeth, Zechariah, John the Baptist–they exist in the story to support Jesus, the main character.

It’s easy to view life with us in the lead role. But this isn’t what Jesus desires for our lives.

Only when we view Jesus as the lead and ourselves as minor characters in the story of life does life make sense.

There is a God, but it’s not us.

By playing our role in the story, God can use us to do the impossible, just as he did in the life of Mary. May our response be as hers: “I am the Lord’s servant.”

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Dillon Burroughs has written, co-written, or edited over 60 books, including the upcoming devotional work Thirst No More (October 2011). He served as an associate editor for The Apologetics Study Bible for Students and is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Find out more at DillonBurroughs.org.