The LORD—κύριος

Advent Day #6

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38

            The name of the Lord is used fifteen times in just the first chapter of Luke. It is the Greek translation of the transliterated word YHWH, first used when God spoke to Moses at the burning bush.

And God said unto Moses, I Am that I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you. Exodus 3:14

            The name was considered “too sacred to be uttered,” and was translated to God in the Old Testament, Adonai in Hebrew, and Lord in Greek. Of course, these are the English versions of each translation.

HELPS word study describes the name Lord as “kýrios – properly, a person exercising absolute ownership rights; lord (Lord).”

            It is a name denoting the highest God above all gods, the Lord of lords, the Master of all. Mary revered His name and considered herself His bondservant. Can you imagine the wonder of holding a helpless infant in your arms while recognizing Him as your Master and Sovereign King? She considered it a high privilege to be this infant King’s servant.

            What greater honor can there be than to serve this Lord of Lords and Ruler of the Universe? The fact that He gives humans the freedom to disobey is baffling, and yet to serve Him is to fulfill the very purpose of man’s existence. Perhaps this Christmas season we can look at every opportunity to serve the Lord like Mary did.

“Behold the handmaid (servant) of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy word.”