Do Not Be Afraid

“The angel said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has shown you his grace.’” — Luke 1:30

There is something profoundly tender in the angel’s opening words to Mary: Do not be afraid. Before heaven unveils its plan, before any miraculous promise is spoken, God meets Mary at the level of her humanity. He acknowledges her fear. He speaks into it. He calms it.  

God never overlooks the emotional weight of what He asks of us. He sees the cost before we feel it. He understands the tremble in our hearts before we can name it. And He chooses to begin not with instruction, but with reassurance.

God never calls anyone into sacred, stretching, or unexpected work without first seeing the impact it will have on their inner world. His invitations are never detached from His understanding of our fragility. He knows the questions forming beneath the surface, the anxieties rising before we can articulate them, the quiet tremors that accompany stepping into the unknown.

Presence Before Purpose

God does not wait for us to be fearless, polished, or spiritually confident before He draws near. Instead, He steps into the very places where our insecurities whisper and our limitations feel overwhelming. His presence becomes the grounding force that allows us to hear His call without being crushed by it.

When God steadies us, He does not remove every uncertainty or answer every question. Instead, He anchors us in Himself—reminding us that His strength surpasses our weakness, His wisdom exceeds our confusion, and His faithfulness outshines our fear. It is His nearness that transforms trembling into trust and hesitation into holy courage.

Only after He reassures us does He invite us into the larger story He is writing—a story bigger than our abilities yet shaped through our willingness.

Grace Before Calling

In Mary’s story, and in ours, God follows a consistent pattern: presence before purpose, reassurance before responsibility, grace before calling.  This divine order allows ordinary people to step into extraordinary roles—not because they are fearless, but because they are held.

Mary is an ordinary young woman in an ordinary town, yet heaven greets her with extraordinary dignity: You have found favor with God. This favor is not rooted in status, achievement, or perfection. It is rooted in posture—humility, openness, and willingness. Before God asks Mary to carry Christ into the world, He assures her that she is already seen, already known, already favored. Her calling begins not with a task but with identity.

Mary’s encounter with the angel unfolds in three movements—each one echoing into our own lives.

1. God Speaks Peace Into Fear

In Mary’s moment of fear, God offers peace. Not a peace dependent on circumstances, but a peace grounded in His presence. This becomes the first gift of her calling: divine comfort wrapped around divine purpose.

2. God Speaks Identity Into Uncertainty

Before Mary can voice her questions—Why me? How can this be? Am I enough?—God names her as favored and chosen. Identity precedes assignment. God grounds her in truth so she can stand steady in the mystery that follows.

3. God Speaks Favor Into Smallness

Mary’s smallness—her youth, her humble background, her ordinary life—is not a barrier to God’s work. It is the very space where His grace shines brightest. Favor does not elevate her above others; it reveals God’s delight in using the humble to accomplish the holy.

Mary’s story is not meant to remain distant or untouchable. It is a mirror reflecting how God continues to move toward ordinary people with extraordinary grace.  Just as God approached Mary in the midst of her everyday life, He approaches us in ours—quietly, unexpectedly, yet always with a heart that knows us fully.

And like Mary, we are invited into a purpose that stretches beyond our understanding. God’s plans may not come with full explanations or clear timelines, but they are always woven with intention and love. We may feel small, but He is not limited by our smallness.

A Story Bigger Than Ourselves

The same God who entrusted Mary with a world-changing calling entrusts us with His work today. He guides us step by step, shapes us through His presence, and invites us into a story more beautiful than anything we could write on our own.

Mary’s encounter reminds us that divine purpose is never about our adequacy; it is about God’s faithfulness. When He meets us—gently, truthfully, purposefully—we discover that we, too, are part of His unfolding redemption in the world.

The angel’s words to Mary are not an isolated reassurance. They become a thread woven through the entire Christmas narrative:

• To Joseph, wrestling with confusion and heartbreak: Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.
• To the shepherds, startled by heaven’s brilliance: Do not be afraid; I bring you good news of great joy.
• To the wise men, guided through uncertainty: God directs them with a star, a dream, a warning—quiet reassurances for a long journey.

Across every scene, the pattern is clear: Before God reveals His plan, He speaks peace. Before He invites participation, He offers reassurance. Before He asks for trust, He acknowledges fear.

The Heartbeat of Christmas

The arrival of Jesus is not wrapped in ease or predictability. It comes through disrupted plans, unexpected journeys, and fragile circumstances. Yet at every turn, God’s message remains the same: Do not be afraid. Not because the path is simple, but because God Himself has drawn near.

Christmas is the story of a God who steps into human fear with divine presence. A God who enters a trembling world as a vulnerable child. A God who replaces dread with hope, uncertainty with promise, and darkness with light.  When we hear the angel’s words to Mary, we hear the opening line of the gospel’s comfort: Fear does not have the final word—God does. And His word is Emmanuel: God with us.

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Pastor Godwin, FBC Danvers