Mary, like every Jewish child, would have been taught that the Messiah would come one day.  It was God’s promise, recorded in God’s Word (Isaiah 9:6-7).  We can still trace the trail of prophetic promises all the way from Genesis 3:15 to Malachi 4:1-2 - the whole of the Old Testament looks forward to Jesus.  God is the only person who keeps all His promises and they will all be fulfilled in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).  The covenants God has made will all be fulfilled (1 Chronicles 16:15) including Genesis 12:2-3 – the covenant promise of blessing to Abraham which would be fulfilled through the Messiah (John 8:56).

For many Israelites, the Messiah was more a part of their culture than of their relationship with God.  But Mary really believed that the Messiah would come.  She was not a simple and gullible teenager, she was a woman of faith (Luke 1:45).  Her song (Luke 1:46-55) is interlaced with fragments of Scripture she had learned.  To her, God's Word (written over the previous two thousand years), was true and must be taken at face value.  She was personally convinced that God meant what He said and would meet every promise with action.  So, when the angel Gabriel spoke from God about the incarnation of the Son of God (Luke 1:28-38), she believed – because she had got used to believing God's Word.  Faith is not just about inspiration; it is also a practised response.

God will always use people, like Mary, who take God at His Word.  Her understanding of God's covenant promises may not have been theologically exhaustive, but it was devotionally adequate.  We do not need to know everything about God, but we need to accept that He knows everything about us (Deuteronomy 29:29). We do not need to know precisely how God will fulfil His promises: it is enough that we believe He will act and be willing to obey whatever He tells us.  That is what Abraham did (Genesis 15:6; Hebrews 11:8-12; James 2:23), and Mary followed his example of faith.

Practical faith starts by accepting God’s written Word as being authentic, and to believe He will do what He says (2 Timothy 3:14-16).  The roadmap for followers of Jesus is plain to read.  Those who believe what He says will receive His grace, and uncover His blessings day by day (John 3:16-17).  Those who refuse to believe will ultimately receive His promised judgement - because that is one of God's covenants (John 3:18).  So, whatever our calling in life, practise trusting His Word, and encourage others at work and home to do the same (Romans 16:26).