Moms in the Bible–Mary

This post is from Moms Take Ten episode 45, “Moms in the Bible–Mary”, which you can listen to wherever you listen to podcasts or at https://sites.libsyn.com/403493/moms-in-the-bible-mary

It is hard to believe that Christmas is in a week. I’ve seen the lights, shopped for presents, and we’ve traveled to see family. I should be prepared, but I am not. I am not good with surprises. I like to know what is coming so I can plan and prepare. My oldest is similar. We both get a little out of sorts as we try to adjust to the changes. That is one reason that I am amazed by the mom that we are going to study today. Her life was changed in an instant, and she handled it with such grace. This woman is at the center of Christmas, Mary the mother of Jesus.

Mary was a teenager awaiting her marriage to Joseph when she was visited by the angel Gabriel. He had been sent by the Lord with a special message to Mary, one that she would never have predicted. What he was going to tell her would change her entire life. God knows that change is hard for many of us, and that this change, in particular, would require sacrifice and heartache, so he had Gabriel emphasize something important—Mary was favored. “Greetings, O favored one” he said, “you have found favor with God”. It is as though he was saying, “What I am about to say is not intended to be a burden, or feel like a consequence. This is a gift to you. You are honored by God with how he wants to use you.” 

Not only was she favored, but Gabriel added, “the Lord is with you”. She was not going to be alone in what was to come. The Lord would be with her, enabling her to do what it was he called  her to do. How desperately she was going to need to cling to that promise as her life unfolded.

Mary listened to all that the angel said, and then she had a choice. She could respond with resistance as Moses did and ask him to choose someone else. Or she could respond as Rebekah did by saying “I will.” She chose the latter as she responded, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

Her response is really interesting to me. 

It was one of quiet acceptance, of humble submission, but it was not one of joyful anticipation.

Her response reminds me of my children when I ask them to do something that they don’t want to do or they aren’t prepared to do. They know they need to obey, that they should obey and so they respond with “Yes mama.” but their hearts are not delighted with the task. They obey willingly, not complaining but not excitedly either. And that’s ok. 

The angel was ok with Mary’s response as well. He did not say, “Why aren’t you excited Mary? Why aren’t you thanking God for the honor he is bestowing on you?” He simply departed.

God knows that there are things that he is going to call us to that are going to be hard for us to do. He knows that it is going to take time for us to process through his request, to bring him our worries, fears and doubts, and to grow in understanding and delight at the work that he is doing. He does not demand immediate enthusiasm. He invites us to join him through obedience and works in us to join him with our hearts as well. Joy is a fruit of the spirit. Fruit takes time to grow.

We see this in Mary’s story. 

When Mary had questioned the angel on how all of this was to come about, the angel not only pointed to the awesome power of God, but gave her a specific, personal example of God at work—her cousin Elizabeth. I did an instagram live on Elizabeth earlier this month that I encourage you to check out. She was barren and God enabled her to conceive when she was advanced in years. After speaking with the angel, Mary went to visit Elizabeth. Luke says she went “with haste.” I think she needed confirmation that what the angel said was true. She needed to see it for herself.

Elizabeth greeted Mary with honor and gladness, and spoke a beautiful blessing over her. 

Mary’s response, recorded in Luke 1, is referred to as “The Magnificat”. She begins with, 

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

    and holy is his name.

Mary’s response shows us a few things:

First, she came to embrace the identity that Gabriel spoke over her–that she was favored. “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed”.

Second, she saw how God was with her in it, that this was by his hand. “For he who is mighty has done great things for me”

Lastly, it shows how God used the testimony of her cousin to speak to Mary’s heart and to raise up the wonder and beauty of what she was about to experience. She went from humble acceptance to her spirit rejoicing.

Sometimes Christmas feels like a burden. All of the things that are supposed to make the season wonderful can be taxing and time consuming. We can run ourselves ragged, getting swept away in the chaos of the holiday, or we can pause in a moment of our own magnificat.

As with Mary, let us embrace the identity that we have as believers. This season is a reminder of the Lord’s message to all of us that he loves us deeply, extravagantly, and that he has chosen us. Ephesians chapter 1 says that “In love he predestined us for adoption to himself”.

As with Mary, let us see how God is with us in all that is going on in our lives. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus coming to earth. Matthew 1:22 says, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).” Though no longer present with us in human form, we now have his spirit inside of us. He is with us minute by minute, day by day, working in and through us for his glory and our good.

As with Mary, let these truths raise up in us wonder and beauty over what we are celebrating.

The God of the universe, creator of each one of us, loves us so deeply that he sent his son in human form, to live the life we could never live and die a death we all deserve. He did this so that we could be reconciled to himself and receive gift upon gift that none of us are worthy of, yet he delights in giving us anyway. That is the beautiful gospel truth of this season.

In addition, may the nativity come alive in our imaginations as we mamas peer in, watching Mary cradling her sweet baby boy in her arms. Remember the first time that you held or met your child. Remember the sweet moments that you have had with them, the magical realization that they were yours and you were theirs. The awe that you were chosen to be their mama, that God picked you specifically for the task as a gift and not a burden. The assurance that the Lord is with you in it, helping you then and helping you now to be the mama that you want to be, that he calls you to be. Wonder at it, mama. It is truly a beautiful gift that we have been given.

Merry Christmas!