“If God is pleased with me, why I am I so terrified?”

I’m sharing a piece I wrote years ago that still feels just as meaningful today.
Have you ever been chosen to do something that seemed impossible? You know that you have been living your life to please God in every way. Yet, this circumstance seems unplanned and difficult, even if it is something good. How did you feel? Perhaps, you felt uncertain or even “terrified”?
“The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “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. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.”
-Luke 1:28-35 NIV
The song, Be Born In Me by Francesca Battistelli, expresses some the emotions Mary may have felt, when she found out she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Can you even imagine how she felt? Luke 1: 29 says, “she was greatly troubled.” Initially, she must have felt terrified to see an angel appear and speak to her. The angel told her things, that seemed impossible. She must have also felt frightened. She must have thought about the severe punishment of those days for a woman who conceived a child without being married. Here she was: a girl engaged to be married. And, now all of these plans might change. But, at the same time she must have felt beyond honored and incredibly blessed to be chosen to be the mother the Son of God. At the same time, imagine the great responsibility she must have felt. In Luke 1:46-50 NIV, “… Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,for the Mighty One has done great things for me holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. “ – Luke 1:46-50 NIV
She must have wondered why God would choose her of all of the other women in the world. In a similar way, we wonder why God would choose to love us. We don’t deserve His great love. Yet, God sent a King, His only Son, Jesus Christ to earth to pay the ransom for our sins, so that we could spend eternity with Him in heaven. And, all that God ask of us are willing hearts. Will you let the love of Jesus Christ be born in you?
Think about the lyrics to the song, Be Born In Me by Francesca Battistelli:
“Everything inside me cries for order
Everything inside me wants to hide
Is this shadow an angel or a warrior?
If God is pleased with me, why am I so terrified?
Someone tell me I am only dreaming
Somehow help me see with Heaven’s eyes
And before my head agrees, my heart is on it’s knees
Holy is He. Blessed am I…
All this time we’ve waited for the promise
All this time You’ve waited for my arms
Did You wrap yourself inside the unexpected
So we might know that Love would go that far?…
I am not brave
I’ll never be
The only thing my heart can offer is a vacancy
I’m just a girl
Nothing more
But I am willing, I am Yours
Be born in me, be born in me
I’ll hold you in the beginning, You will hold me in the end
Every moment in the middle, make my heart your Bethlehem
Be born in me”
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us (while we were still sinners) so much that you were willing to humble Yourself by coming down from your throne in heaven to be born in a stable and to make the ultimate sacrifice for us. Please give us willing hearts. Make our hearts Your Bethlehem. May your love be born in us. Amen.






You have been praying for sometime when you see it. A narrow makeshift bridge swaying a couple feet above the rushing rapids comes into view. You have two choices. Either you will remain at the edge of the riverbank or you step onto the bridge. What will you do?

