Sweet Sisters,
I love the story of the birth of Jesus. I love that God, the Son, was willing to come to earth as a baby. I love that He was willing to grow up and become a man in a simple, ordinary family so that we could relate to Him. I love that He was willing to experience everyday life as we do. I love that He was then willing to sacrifice Himself so that we could be in a relationship with Him.
I also love the story of Mary. Mary was the ultimate “Princess Warrior”. There is not a whole lot of information given about Mary and her background in scripture. Scholars have different opinions about her age. Some say she could have been as young as 12 to 14 years old. Others think she may have been as old as 20.
Today I would like to share some characteristics I see in Mary that I would like to model.
Luke 1:26-56 gives us the most detailed information about Mary. It’s a lengthy reading, but I want to share it with you anyway.
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 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, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 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. 36 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. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The first thing we learn about Mary is that she lived in Nazareth. Nazareth was a small little town. There was nothing special about it. It was not far from Sephoris, the luxurious capital of Herod Antipas. Herod was always having new stuff built and it may be, as carpenters, that Joseph and Jesus were among those who constructed what he wanted built. It was a conservative town, clinging to traditional Jewish culture. It had a population of about 200-400 so everyone knew everyone else.
We also learn that Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. This was a very serious situation. Legally they were considered married. They just had not had the official ceremony and physically consummated their marriage. Luke 1:27 tells us that Mary was a virgin. This does not mean a “young girl”, it means a “person who has never had sexual intercourse”.
The most important attribute we learn about Mary is said by the angel, Gabriel. He tells Mary that she is highly favored by God and that the Lord was with her.
Of all the women God could have chosen to be the mother of HIs child, I wonder, why did Mary find favor in HIs eyes? I think one reason is found in verse 38. After asking Gabriel how this was going to happen, Mary says, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” Mary had a heart of obedience. She was willing to do whatever her God asked of her.
I think Mary found favor in God’s eyes because when I read “Mary’s song” in verses 46-55, I see a woman who knew the “Bible” of her time. She was familiar with who God was and the things that He had done. I see a woman who trusted God and believed He was faithful to keep His promises. I see a woman who was joyful about being used by God.
Nowhere in these verses do I see that Mary was afraid of what this task that God was giving her would mean in her life. She doesn’t once say “but what will people think?” Or “but what will Joseph think?” If Mary had found favor with God, she must have found favor with those who knew her.
I wonder if when people started questioning her or shaming her if she even tried to explain or defend herself or if she just remained silent and trusted that if God had chosen her to be the mother of His Son then He would provide everything she needed to accomplish the task He had given her.
Sweet Sisters, when I stop and think about how God worked throughout scripture, it seems that He chose ordinary everyday people who had a heart that was willing to do whatever God asks them to do, trusting that He would provide.
I long to be that person. I want to be like Isaiah in Isaiah 6:8 when God said, “Who will I send?” Isaiah responded, “Here am I. Send me!”
Debbie