The Unknown

Readings: IS 7:10-14; 8:10; HEB 10:4-10; LK 1:26-38

Today the church celebrates the feast of the Annunciation where Mary receives the invitation from the angel Gabriel to bear Jesus.  And she accepts.

In the same way that I mentioned that Joseph might be the patron saint of the slog, I might submit that Mary is the patron saint of the unknown.  She says yes to God’s call without reading ANY of the fine print (and I am sure that there were pages of fine print). Now that’s faith!

To be fair, she does raise a few questions.

I have to say that I love Mary’s transparency.  She’s troubled and doesn’t hide it, and she’s not afraid to tell the angel that he does not know what he’s talking about.  Not unlike Moses, who tells God, “Look, pal, you obviously didn’t do your homework, because I have a speech impediment and won’t be a good spokesperson,” Mary says, “Gabe, let me let you in on a little secret…I know how kids come about, and I haven’t done that! I think you got the wrong girl!”

But God is ever undeterred by our protests and says, “No, you are exactly who I am looking for…we will figure it out!” Ususally, I mumble back to God, “You know, I really would appreciate a plan…”

My suspicion is that you are being invited into something by God these days.  While some of us are getting an invitation that we appreciate and look forward to, others are getting invitations that we’d rather not get.  Some of these invitations are complicated, scary and unknown.  And we have no idea how we’re going to do what is in front of us.

At the health center where I work, we have a sign with a quote from business leader, Peter Block.  It simply says, “The answer to how is ‘yes’.”  I think this sums up Mary’s response today.  She has so many questions, so many details she’s going to have to think through, so many things she’s going to have to tell other people.   How will she do it all? 

For many of us, how rises as the primary question.  Sadly when we lead with that question, it can choke off a lot of great potential.  By not getting stuck in the how, Mary is able to say a yes – knowing  that God will work with her, as the expression goes, to “make a way out of no way.”

The dominant culture that we live in favors so-called practical doing.  If it’s not going to work and work in an efficient manner, don’t bother with it!  God, however, is not so practical and hardly seems to be deterred by inefficiency. And so God chooses unlikely characters with rather thin resumes to do some of the most important jobs.  It is the faith response of “yes” that God seeks, not the greatest promise of success.

One of my recent organizational change she-roes is adrienne maree brown from Detroit.  She talks a lot about “emergent strategy” which is a way of understanding how change happens.  In her book (by the same name), she speaks of nine key principles that are guiding her work these days.  One of these is “less prep, more presence.”  For me this fits so well with our theme from today.  Instead of getting all wrapped up in the details, our expectations and the outcomes, can we just remain present to what is emerging and trust that we will be given what we need to address it when it emerges.

Maybe this has already been proven in your life.  Maybe you have come through some things that you had no idea, at the time, how you would come through.  Maybe you just had to put one foot in front of the other, take one day at a time or even one hour at a time.  

My belief is that Mary’s, “Yes,” to God honors all of the big and small ways that we take risks in faith.

Maybe we have done random acts of kindness with no assurance that they will “lead to anything.”

Maybe we have tried to forgive someone and let go of our hurt not knowing if the other person will ever acknowledge what they have done.

Maybe we are caring for someone or in a relationship that demands a lot from us right now and we are exhausted but keep trying to do what we can.

Maybe we’re going through some form of hardship right now and we’re really nervous because it feels like God has forgotten us and we try to hold on to hope anyway.

Maybe we’re being called by God to do something that scares us and we’re trying to stay the course without being able to see too far down the road.

Maybe we’re doing something (or following an inner voice) that might make us look like a fool or opens us up to criticism – all because we believe it is the right and loving thing to do.

Whatever may be true for you right now, for today we say a yes to that which we cannot understand.  Don’t try to have all the answers up front or fully know the grand master plan.  We, like Mary, might only be given a promise to not be afraid and that God is with us and we will figure out the “how” together.