1. When we were expecting, nothing happened to me;
2. In contrast, Kathryn’s emotions changed, her appetite morphed and her love of coffee disappeared;
3. Most drastically, her body changed.  From the back kathryn looked identical, but turn her to the side and she was all bump.  I couldn’t get over it.  It was a shock and a surprise to me for months, both times.

1. That this life giving, life changing moment is a moment.  I read this verses 26-38 in a deliberate way and it took a mere 1:19 seconds.  That is shorter than the average commercial break in your favorite TV program.
   1. The fleeting character of this life-changing moment is high lighted by the appearance and departure of Gabriel.  Gabriel appears in Nazareth before this young virgin.  And all that is left is a woman facing an unknown future.
   2. It would have been so short and yet so intense that it is easy to imagine Mary being overwhelmed and then wandering if that really happened.
2. It did happen and when Mary hears with her ears her heart is moved.  If you imagine this moment for Mary its clear that it was a strange, joyful, troubling, fearful, emotionally turbulent experience.  Think about it: in less than 1 and ½ minutes she is greeted with grace, experiences fear, is given assurance of God’s favor and then receives a promise that places her near the center of God’s work and will and coming salvation, ontop of that she is given a sign to help along the way.  If we sit next to Mary we go on a roller coaster ride of emotions with her.  
3. If we sit with Mary we are forced to recognize that this strange moment will change her from the inside out.  This is as obvious as it is mysterious, God’s will and work is done within Mary’s body.  This is a drastically physical, body shaping, womb opening event for Mary.   The Greek is redundant and is so to emphasis this; Luke’s angel literally says that she will be pregnant in your womb.   
4. If we sit with Mary through moment filled with words of promise, we see that Mary doesn’t sit there and ponder these things for long.  When Gabriel leaves so does she.  She got up, got ready and hurried to the hill country of Judea to see Elizabeth.  
5. When she then arrives, she is greeted again with amazing words, “blessed are you among women, blessed is the child that you will bear! But why am I so highly favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me.”

What is required of Mary for all this to take place?  Most basically, she has to make space for God.  She has to make space in her heart so God can make space within her womb.  She has to be open to God.  She has to trust and let the power of God overshadowed her.  

For others of us, the answer is maybe.  We might make space for God.  We would consider opening up to let God in and do something in us, but we also doubt.

1. Sometimes we doubt that God would really work in us.  We feel unworthy.  We can’t see past our failures or our faults and so we doubt whether God would come to us. Would God speak to me and move in me to push out the old and bring in something new when there is so much junk?  We doubt because we don’t feel like Mary, the virgin.
2. Sometimes we doubt because we have tried being open to God and didn’t seem to work.  Maybe you heard a great sermon, felt something during a song in church, or heard about a crazy friend who experienced God’s grace in Jesus and found a new life, maybe you’ve been there and wanted more.  You might have tried to pray or read the bible, do a good turn daily or just be spiritual and nice but it didn’t stick or change things fast enough.
3. Sometimes we doubt because there is so much hurt, we are so alone and God seems so distant.

And yet, God nevertheless comes to us.  He comes like he did to Mary.  Greeting us with grace.  Telling us in Jesus that he is with us.  Letting us know that he has been working to save the world from sin.

And why does he come to Mary and us?  Not because she is a virgin and a good girl.  Not because we come to church.   God comes because he is gracious.  He comes to do the unexpected for sinners and the lowely.  He comes to us to bring Jesus to the world and make space for love, for joy, for forgiveness and peace.

So how do we get in on this God coming to us to bring new life  salvation?  How do we open up to God if Gabriel isn’t coming over after lunch?  

Psalm 25 gives us a hint.  At the beginning of this prayer David says, “I lift up my soul to you; I put my trust in you my God.”  We get in on God’s salvation, open up to the Lord, and begin to experience his grace when we lift up our souls.  

What does that mean? The word soul in Hebrew gives us a hint.  Nephesh is the word in the Old Testament that is translated soul.  It is also the word for neck.  Both the soul and the neck are connectors.  The neck connects the higher and lower functions.  In the same way, the soul is the connection between our desires, thoughts, body and being.  It is the point of connection at the deepest part of who you are that brings it all together.  And like the neck, the soul is vulnerable.  So when you lift up your soul, you might say you open up your neck.  You surrender. You lean your head back and expose the most vulnerable, life carrying part of who you are so that God can take it and give it life.

Lifting up your soul means lifting up the your failure, your sin, your gifts and your desires.  It means lifting up in prayer the things you hope for and hate so that the Father who raised Jesus from the dead can bring life to those things as well.  Putting your trust in God because he has been faithful to Mary, to Jesus and even to you might be scary, but it will set you free, to live, to give life and to sing.