Mary Did You Know? And Do You Know?

Holy Spirit brought to the front and center of my mind, Mary the mother of Jesus… Did you know that every person written about in the Bible is there for a reason?  They are there as an example for us, Mary IS an example of someone who was COMPLETELY devoted to God.  She was willing to do WHATEVER it was that God requested.

I did a little bit of research on Mary, and I think it is interesting to know that according to Jewish customs back then, it is reasonable to assume that Mary was between the ages of 12-16 years old (according to scholars) at the time that she gave birth to Jesus. Twelve to sixteen years of age?! Can you imagine that?

I think it is important to look at Luke 1:26-38:

“God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 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 the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”

Remember, this really happened – it’s a true story, it’s easy to see why at first Mary was concerned by being greeted by an angel.  But Mary was a girl of great faith, you can tell this by her response, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May your word to me be fulfilled.” Mary BELIEVED God.

I can’t even imagine all the thoughts that must have gone through Mary’s head at once! (Remember, she was as you and I – a REAL person).  Can you imagine how dumbfounding and humbling it must have been to be visited by an angel of God? I imagine her replaying the scene over and over in her head once the angel left.  Not having anyone to discuss it with because she had been alone when it had occurred.  Shortly after that the Bible continues on in Luke 1:39-45 indicating that Mary went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth who was pregnant with John who became the Baptist.

“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Here is the thing – Mary was blessed amongst women because God chose her to be the mother of our Savior, Jesus the Christ.  Mary LOVED God and she was a woman of GREAT faith.  Mary was blessed because she was chosen by God to bear the Savior AND Mary BELIEVED that God would fulfill His promises to her.  Mary’s faith is one that we can ALL learn from! God wants to use YOU;, He wants to use me.  He has a calling for EACH of our lives – our response to whatever it is that God has called us to be, or called us to do should be the same YES and AMEN that Mary did.  Mary believed God and she walked in that faith.

God had a calling on Mary’s life that was one that He had planned for her, even before she was born. Whether or not you believe it, God has a special, unique calling on your life too.  It is not the same calling as Mary’s, but it is one where God can be glorified through you IF you acquiescent.

Mary was chosen to carry Jesus, the Savior.  She was blessed because God called her to do so. Mary was a person used as a vessel for God’s purposes.  She was blessed among women because God called her for such an honor!  We are ALL called to be vessels for God as well.  Our calling is not the same as Mary’s – there is ONLY one Savior, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (see John 1:29). Our purpose is to seek out what it is that God has called us to do and then walk in that calling, just as Mary walked in the one God had for her. 

Mary’s calling and her obedience to it is one that we can admire her for, one that we can learn from – how to walk in Godly obedience BUT although Mary was the mother of Jesus, she probably would be appalled by the fact that many choose to worship her.  In Mary’s own words in Luke 1:46-55.

And Mary replied to her cousin, Elizabeth:

Mary herself indicates that God IS her Savior. (See her words above).  She said, “for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.”  She was speaking of herself.  It was never Mary’s intent that people worship her!  Her eyes were forever on God, she identified herself as “a servant of God.” We refer to her as being blessed because Mary’s acquiescence to the calling God had on her life is one that ALL women should take note, to learn from and walk in the same manner.

Mary is not one to be worshipped but to be greatly admired.  I look at Mary’s life and I pray that God would grow my faith. Mary never doubted God, she trusted Him completely. 

Can you imagine how difficult it must have been for Mary to have to go to her fiancé, Joseph (trusting God the whole time) and explain to him that she was pregnant? That an angel of God had visited her and told her all that He had said?

Can you imagine all that Joseph and Mary had to do in preparation of Jesus’ birth – how they had to diligently listen to God’s instruction so that the prophecy would be fulfilled? 

Luke 2:4-20 describes the night that Jesus was born. 

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

Notice that it says, “Mary treasured up ALL these things and pondered them in her heart.” 

Joseph and Mary listened to God and carried out whatever it was they were instructed to do.  THEY BELIEVED.  Remember, this is a true story.  Remember, these were REAL people with REAL feelings, in REAL circumstances.  Oh, how I pray we would have the trust and faith to do whatever it is God has called us to do!  We forget that this is a TRUE story.  It is part of history, not a fable. Can you imagine the awesome responsibility of being the earthly parents to the Son of God???  It’s hard enough being a parent to ANY child God blesses you with and trusts you with the responsibility of raising them (I’m quite sure every parent reading this is nodding their head in agreement) but having to birth, raise and bring up the Savior of the world??? 

Yes, I think we can ALL agree that Mary was the MOST blessed woman among women, for I don’t know anyone who could take on such an awesome responsibility.  And what a high cost!  Mary begins to hear about this high cost when the Bible introduces us to Simeon, in Luke 2:25-34:

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.””

I cannot fathom or comprehend all that Mary must have seen and experienced as the mother of Jesus, there must have been so many experiences that she treasured and stored up in her heart throughout Jesus’ life. And as Simeon had indicated above, there must have been a lot that caused her to wince for her Son and have to entrust ALL that He endured to the care of His Heavenly Father.

God had given her this Son, but she in turn had to give Him back to God the Father, to entrust that God’s purpose (as He had originally foretold) would occur in and through the life of Jesus. Mary was God’s beautiful vessel, given an incredible honor and task but ultimately, Jesus had to “go about His Father’s business” (see Luke 2:49) and Mary had to entrust her Son, the Savior of the world; back to the One who had originally given Him to her all the way to the cross and all the way to His death, and then all way to the resurrection.  What faith.  What love. What trust. 

Mary fulfilled all that God had called her to do.  Mary is a very great example for us to keep our eyes focused on God.  To trust Him, to love Him, to listen to Him, to be obedient to ALL that God would have us be and do.  Mary’s life is one that should serve as an example to us, as we strive to be the vessels that God has called US to be.  Thank God for Mary. or as I’m pretty sure Mary would want us to say: “May our souls glorify the Lord and our spirits rejoices in God our Savior, for He has done (and continues to do) great things.”

May the One who called us all continue to do great things in our lives, as He did in Mary’s.  Praise His Holy Name.