My claim to fame....if it weren't for me -- my children wouldn't be. And God needed a vessel -- one He favored above ALL women -- to be the Mother of Jesus. He chose Mary to BE the First Lady of our Faith. She was found faithful. And what faith she had! She was the first to believe in Jesus as her Savior and Lord -- while she still carried Him in her womb.
This photo is one of my Christmas favorites. It brings Mary right to where we are. It helps us to know she was one of us. She was a woman with real emotions, real challenges, and real love for her baby boy. "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19) "Ponder" is a great word and a great idea for us, too! Christmas should be all about "pondering". Mary treasured the events of Jesus' birth. She thought deeply about all that took place. She would need to remember all that God had done, in order to trust what God would allow when Jesus grew to manhood. Can you just imagine the bedtime stories she told her boy?
My all-time favorite Christmas song is Mark Lowery’s “Mary Did You Know?” for many reasons. It momentarily shows Mary more than the lovely woman in blue and white clothing, radiant face, and a halo affixed perfectly above her head. She really was one of us. Like us, she held her baby, she cared for him, she thought about his future -- just like we do. I relate to her.
Mark wrote the lyrics in 1984 in response to his Pastor’s request to write the script for their church's Christmas production. Twelve years later, Buddy Greene put the script to music. When Mark was asked to write the script, little did he realize that little "seed" would bring about an abundant harvest. That script was one of those Jeremiah 29:11 moments “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Mark had no idea of the anointing of the Holy Spirit that was on him for that significant moment in time.
What do you think? DID MARY KNOW that He was her Creator, that He would walk on water, that He would heal the blind man, that He would raise the dead? Did she know that when she kissed her little baby boy that she was kissing the face of God?
We'll ask her that question one day, but one thing's for sure, she was the vessel God chose to bear His Son, and I believe she was chosen because He knew she would be the role model, the caregiver, the teacher/trainer, the spiritual director, and the guardian that caused her son to “grow in wisdom and stature with God and man" (Luke 2:52). I believe she recognized that her boy's talents would "take Him places" and that He would do great and mighty things, because she was "tight with God" and she held His promises close to her heart.
The question for us is "Do we believe as Mary did?" What God's Word says about Jesus is true. And her example for being that role model, caregiver, teacher/trainer, spiritual director and guardian, is one we should follow in raising our children and grandchildren to "grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man".
I love this beautiful song, and this amazing rendition by Pentatonix. I share it as a gift for you to realize that Mary's faith and reality is our faith and reality, too. "This little child that Mary delivered, delivered her and us!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE
