During the Christmas season we are mostly focused on the birth of Christ. Which makes complete sense. He is God incarnate come to save us. He deserves our attention. But there are other characters in the story.
What about Mary? Have you ever really stopped to think about what her experience was like?
I know I haven’t given it much thought in the past. It’s part of the story that I’ve become so familiar with that I don’t think about how strange and scary it must have been for her. I mean think about it, an angel comes to her (scary in and of itself) and tells her she is going to have a child. Which she questions because she isn’t married yet and obviously hasn’t slept with her betrothed.
If I was Mary, my mind would be racing a mile-a-minute at this point. But she seems so calm and collected. After the angel gives her an explanation, she simply says, “I am the servant of the Lord.”
God must have given her peace and clarity in that moment.
We don’t know a whole lot about Mary during her pregnancy. There is more to her story that I wonder about. We can’t know for sure what was going on in Mary’s heart, but I’m sure it was something similar to what was going on in my own heart at the anticipation of my daughter’s birth. I was excited and nervous. Excited for this tiny little human that would become a part of our family. Wondering what she would look like and praying for who she will become. Nervous because I’d never had a baby before and I was feeling unsure about my abilities to be a good mother.
But Mary knew that she wasn’t giving birth to just any baby. She knew that he would be the savior of us all. When He was finally in her arms and she looked down on his sweet face I’m sure she was filled with an unexplained joy. But I don’t think Mary knew on the night her son was born that he would suffer for us all. She probably had hopes and dreams for him just like any mother does. I’m sure she never imagined watching him suffer and die.
But God knew that her heart was pure enough to mother Jesus. He knew that when it came down to it she would find her strength in Him.
And this Christmas season as I face my own struggles, I find myself wondering if I can be strong like Mary. If I can have the wisdom and understanding to trust that God has a plan.
I am so thankful for examples of women like Mary who show us what complete trust in God and our savior Jesus looks like.
