⭐ Week 3 — The Light of Surrender
(Sunday Devotional)
Luke 1:26–55
There are moments in life where the road ahead suddenly divides — moments that become watershed events shaping one’s future.
Most of these forks are small — subtle.
But what happens when the mission of the Almighty God intersects your path?
That is exactly what happened to Mary.
🌟 Reflection
Mary was a young teenager living in a small rural town, from an ordinary family with no influence or privilege. Betrothed but not yet married. Preparing for a humble, predictable life. Joseph, her betrothed, was likewise humble and unknown.
And yet — it was to this common, unremarkable couple that God entrusted the extraordinary task of nurturing and protecting the Savior of the world.
Unprepared.
Untrained.
Unqualified by every human standard.
A surprising, even scandalous choice.
And then God sent Gabriel.
“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus…”
(Luke 1:30–33)
But Mary was alone.
Her parents were not present.
Joseph was not there to steady her.
No one witnessed the angel’s words but her.
She had to process this calling on her own. She knew the cost immediately:
Who would believe her?
How could she explain a pregnancy she could not explain to herself?
She knew Joseph would feel betrayed, her parents dishonored, the synagogue scandalized. She knew shame would touch her family, and danger might touch her life.
This was God’s favor?
Yet something within Mary — something Spirit-stirred — ignited a courage that defied fear. She chose to believe what she could not see, could not fully understand, and could not explain.
She chose surrender.
She believed Gabriel’s declaration:
“Nothing is impossible with God.”
(Luke 1:37)
And with breathtaking trust, she offered herself to God:
“I am the Lord’s servant.
May Your word to me be fulfilled.”
(Luke 1:38)
Last week we saw that God’s promise always precedes its revealing. Mary embodies that truth. Throughout Scripture, God calls His people to trust His word before they see the outcome — to walk in obedience before understanding, to take steps of faith before the path is clear.
This is the essence of surrender:
choosing God’s voice over our fears, God’s promise over our perception, God’s mission over our comfort.
As Paul later writes:
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen…”
(2 Corinthians 4:18)
Faith is not merely believing in what God can do —
it is yielding to what God desires to do in you and through you.
And surrender is where His light breaks through.
🙏 Prayer Prompt
Lord, You see my whole life — the places where I am confident and the places where I am afraid. Teach me to trust You the way Mary did: not because I understand everything, but because I know You are faithful. Give me the courage to surrender my plans, my fears, my expectations, and my limitations into Your hands. Speak Your word over my life, and let Your Spirit form in me a willing, obedient heart. May Your light break into every place where I hesitate or hold back. I am Yours. Let Your word be fulfilled in me. Amen.
🕯️ Response for the Week
Choose one of these invitations and walk with it intentionally each day. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you as you surrender fully to God’s direction.
1. Name What You’re Holding Back
Where do you feel resistance toward God’s calling, timing, or direction right now?
Write it down. Take it to prayer. Ask the Lord to show you the root of your hesitation — fear, insecurity, comfort, misunderstanding, or pain. Invite Him in.
2. Practice a Daily Surrender Prayer
Each morning this week, pray:
“Lord, I am Your servant. Let Your word be fulfilled in me today.”
Pray it slowly and sincerely as an act of trust — even before you feel it.
3. Obey One Small Prompting
Surrender is lived through obedience.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one act of obedience today — a conversation, an encouragement, a step of reconciliation, a decision you’ve been delaying, or a fear you need to confront. Then take that step.
4. Reflect on a Past Act of Surrender
Think of a time you surrendered something difficult to God.
What did He do with it?
How did it change you?
Let the memory of His faithfulness strengthen your trust today.
🎁 A Gift to Share
If someone in your life might need encouragement this season—or if you’re participating as a family or small group—you’re welcome to forward these emails or invite them to subscribe:
👉 thisistheway.live
Sometimes the smallest invitation makes the biggest difference.
Read the full series here: https://thisistheway.live/t/christmas-lights