Mary in Amber

Mary in Amber

By K. Cledegeffe

“And Mary said, ‘My soul glorifies the Lord.’”

Luke 1:46-55

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She was young — perhaps no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. She lived in Nazareth, a town so small and unremarkable that it scarcely warranted mention. She was not wealthy, not powerful, not known beyond the walls of her own village. And yet, when the angel Gabriel appeared and delivered the most extraordinary announcement in the history of the world, Mary did not shrink. She answered, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38).

Consider what that single sentence required of her. She was not yet married. By the law of her people, she could have been stoned to death for bearing a child outside of wedlock. She had no guarantee that Joseph would understand, no assurance that her family or community would believe her. She could not see the full scope of the promise being placed upon her — only that God had asked, and she was willing.

This willingness to submit in faith to God’s will was a hallmark of her earthly discipleship. As Russell M. Nelson taught, “Mary, mother of our Redeemer, was the perfect example of complete submission to the will of God. She kept confidences. In faith, she endured grief.” This is what makes Mary such a powerful example for every disciple. Her faith was not built on certainty of outcome. She trusted in promises she could not yet see fulfilled. She said yes before she knew how the path would unfold — before the flight to Egypt, before the years of watching her Son be rejected, before the unimaginable hour at Calvary when she stood beneath the cross.

In the words of Virginia U. Jensen, “Her faith, obedience, and humility set a standard for all women.” And not only for women — for all of us. Mary shows us what it looks like to receive God’s will with an open heart, even when it asks more than we think we can bear.

We will, of course, never be asked to do what Mary did. But each of us will face moments when God asks us to trust Him before we can see the road ahead. In those moments, Mary’s example lights the way: not a faith that demands answers first, but a faith that steps forward and says, “Be it unto me according to thy word.”

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