As we step into the Christmas season, we are intentionally pausing to talk about Christmas itself—the story of a God who comes near. This time of year is unique. The heart of the culture drifts just a little closer to the heart of the church, creating opportunities for reflection, worship, and growth—not only for regular attenders, but also for those who may step into a service for the first time. For many exploring Fort Collins CO churches or Windsor CO churches, Christmas is often the moment God begins to stir something deeper.
After spending an entire year anchored in the theme Whatever It Takes, it feels deeply fitting to close this season by looking at the ultimate example of that mindset: God stepping into humanity. Throughout the year, we’ve seen this theme echoed again and again—Jesus calling people to surrender and trust, Nehemiah rebuilding the wall, James calling believers to live out authentic faith, and the early church carrying the gospel forward with bold obedience. Now, as the year draws to a close, we turn to the Christmas story and to the narratives of God coming near.
This Christmas mini-series centers on three individuals—Mary, Joseph, and Simeon—ordinary people whose lives were interrupted by God in extraordinary ways. Their stories are not polished or painless. They are marked by quiet faith, costly obedience, humble submission, and courage that likely trembled around the edges. Each of them lived out the same refrain we’ve returned to all year long: whatever it takes.
A Divine Interruption
We begin in Luke chapter 1, where God comes near to Mary. When Luke introduces her, he does so with intentional simplicity. There are no titles, no resume, no list of accomplishments. She is young—likely in her mid-teens—betrothed to Joseph, preparing for marriage, home, and a future that seems stable and good. From every visible angle, Mary’s life appears to be unfolding according to plan.
And then God interrupts.
The angel Gabriel appears with a message that changes everything. This wasn’t subtle or convenient. It was unmistakably from God. And while it may have felt like disruption, it came with divine purpose. God’s nearness is rarely convenient, but it is always good.
Mary’s plans—her wedding timeline, her reputation, her relationship with Joseph, her dreams of a normal life—were instantly put at risk. Yet Scripture reminds us that when God comes near, He rarely fits into our plans. Instead, He invites us into His. Those invitations often feel like interruptions, but every interruption from God is actually an invitation to join Him in what He is doing.
Nothing Is Impossible With God
The angel’s message was overwhelming: Mary would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit, give birth to the Son of God, and become part of God’s redemptive plan for the world. Humanly speaking, it was impossible.
Mary’s question—“How can this be?”—was not rooted in doubt, but in awe. She trusted God’s power even when she couldn’t comprehend the process. Gabriel’s response anchors the entire narrative: nothing will be impossible with God.
This divine interruption came with divine intervention. The incarnation—God stepping into humanity—is the ultimate expression of a whatever it takes love. God didn’t remain distant or delegate salvation from afar. He came near. He entered human history. He took on flesh.
Mary’s response is remarkable. She doesn’t run, negotiate, or resist. She surrenders.
“I Am the Lord’s Servant”
Luke 1:38 records one of the most stunning declarations in all of Scripture: “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Mary’s obedience flows directly from her identity. In a culture that often roots identity in self—what we feel, accomplish, or are affirmed for—Mary’s identity is anchored in something far more secure. She knows who she belongs to.
Because her identity is settled, her obedience is not reluctant. It is joyful. Even though her yes came with great cost—misunderstanding, gossip, personal loss, and future pain—it also came with freedom. Saying yes to God always leads to freedom, even when the road is difficult.
Mary teaches us that obedience is not reserved for spiritual superstars. God is not searching for the most polished or powerful, but for the most surrendered. Faithful obedience begins with a humble heart that says, “Lord, I am yours.”
God Still Comes Near
We will never be called to Mary’s exact assignment, but we will be invited into impossible things—impossible forgiveness, impossible reconciliation, impossible generosity, impossible obedience. When God calls us into those moments, the question is not whether we are capable, but whether we trust Him.
Everything in Mary’s story bends toward Jesus—and so does everything in Scripture. The angel didn’t just announce a baby; he announced the Savior of the world. God came near so that sinners could come home, the broken could find healing, and the weary could find rest. Because Jesus came near, we no longer have to live far from God.
Mary carried Christ into the world physically. Today, believers carry Christ into the world spiritually—through our lives, our love, and our obedience. This is not a program or a seasonal commitment. It is an identity received through relationship with our King.
Whatever It Takes
The greatest thing any life can do is make room for Jesus. The greatest thing any believer can do is magnify Him. In a world hungry for truth, Jesus is the truth. In a world exhausted for peace, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. In a culture searching for identity, Jesus offers a new one—child of God, servant of Christ, image bearer of the King.
Because God has come near, nothing should ever be the same.
May we, like Mary, know who we are. May we offer ourselves fully. And above all, may we make Jesus our highest joy, deepest trust, and clearest message to a watching and wandering world.