Luke 1:46-49
New American Standard Bible 1995
46 And Mary said:
“My soul exalts the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
God chose Mary, a poor girl from Nazareth, to impact the very course of history. Before Mary came to be with child through the power of the Holy Spirit there were probably who were not aware of who Mary was. But after she encountered the angel Gabriel all of that would change.
Mary would go on to carry the baby Jesus to full term and deliver. Jesus would grow up in the house of Joseph and Mary. Joseph was a simple carpenter by trade and Jesus would spend many days and moments with Joseph in his carpenter shop. We are told from scripture that Joseph was a righteous man which means he lived by the law and built his life upon it. We don't know when Joseph died, but we do know that before Jesus began his public ministry that Joseph was no longer alive.
But throughout Jesus life on the earth Mary was alive. She was even one of the 120 who were in the upper room on the day of pentecost. Jesus entrusted the care of Mary to John the apostle as He hung upon the cross. Mary would go on to have several children after Jesus was born and we know that two of them were writers of two books of the New Testament in James and Jude.
But Mary understood that God had chosen her. She didn't fully understand the gravity of everything she was called to do, but she knew that the grace of Almighty God was upon her. Upon hearing of being chosen to carry and mother the Son of God, Mary would be filled with both joy and awe of who and what God had done.
But the other thing I think about when I think about Mary is having to watch her baby boy be crucified. Now being a father of a little girl who is going to be turning three this has become much more real to me in my life. I have watched my own daughter continue to grow and being a father is truly the thing I love and treasure most on this earth.
But as I think about Mary and her willingness to be obedient I know it also meant she had to watch her Son go through a level of pain and agony that we cannot comprehend. Each time they whipped Him, each time they humiliated Him, each time they drove the nails in His hands and feet, I am sure it pierced the soul of Mary. I am sure there were many moments during that crucifixion in which Mary desired to scream out with everything within her to have them stop but she knew this was why He came.
During this Christmas season as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, never let us forget that the reason He came was to take the punishment and wrath we deserve. All of us are sinners. There is not one who has not sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But thank God He loved us so much He sent His Son. Thank God that Jesus loved us so much that He said yes to the Father's will. And I am thankful that a poor girl from Nazareth that nobody noticed said yes when the Lord called her to carry and mother the Son of God.
We are not called to worship Mary. She would even tell anyone who is worshipping her to stop. But may we honor her for her willingness and obedience. Being called by God to do anything is not easy and Mary had one of the greatest callings of all and that was to be the earthly mother to the Son of God.
Prayer
Father I pray that all of us would simply say yes. We would say yes to the hard things you call us to. Father give us strength and endurance to do what you have planned and purposed. Father I thank you today for Mary and her heart to simply be your maidservant. I pray for all of us that we would desire to lay down our lives, our will, our dreams, and our desires, and that all you desire, want, and dream would become the driving force in our lives. Father lead us today to become the people you have called us to be. Thank you for your Son Jesus. During this Christmas season may our hearts be fixed upon Jesus alone. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!
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