HaleyTwo of my children were born in the month of December, which offers me a keen perspective each advent as I consider Mary’s story as the mother of Jesus.
Early in the morning when my household is still sleeping, I grab my mug of coffee and shuffle to my comfy place to study the Word. And each December, as I reflect upon the Christmas story, I think back to the miracle of new birth for us ordinary humans, much less the Savior of the world.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
Luke 1:26-35 ESV
With my own babies born in the month we celebrate Jesus’ birth, I’ve tried to put myself in Mary’s shoes to imagine her vantage point.
Thinking back nearly a dozen years, I remember how everything was harder as a first-time mom:
How I learned by trial and error.
How it took me a couple weeks to gain confidence as a new mom.
How it was still unfathomable that this tiny being came from my womb.
And Mary, decades younger than me at the time of childbirth, faced this new experience with little support from family or friends. In fact, she likely experienced ostracism, disbelief and judgement from those around her.
And so every advent since I’ve had kids, my heart goes out to Mary—one mama to another—as I ponder her story.
As most first-time moms will tell you, it’s hard enough when things are going well with a new baby, much less when life throws you curveballs. It’s hard enough when you’re in familiar surroundings with your village rallying for you.
Even though Mary questioned the seeming impossibility of physically bearing a child, once the angel of the Lord issued forth God’s plan for her life, she immediately humbled herself before Him.
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:38 NKJV
Mary quickly moves from questioning the impossibility of a virgin birth…
to full submission to God’s will…
to glorifying Him with praise in the verses of The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).
I’m both awed and inspired by her obedience, humility and submission, without fear of the future.
Echoing the lyrics of “Mary Did You Know?,” did she realize her son would perform miracles and healings?
Did Mary realize the future hope of all mankind would come so quickly—just 33 years after that night in the stable—when her once tiny babe willingly died to save the world.
From a mother’s point of view, my stomach lurches with a wave of nausea and I’m left speechless, unable to truly perceive such reality. The mom in me is heartbroken for Mary beyond words. But, at the same time, the mom in me is also grateful beyond measure that my children now have a hope for the future.
So this Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of the Savior, I’m also gravely aware of the weight of it all, of the depth of sacrifice on so many levels and of a mother’s obedient, one-day broken heart.
For this reason, my prayer is simple: Make me more like Mary.
When God’s plans don’t line up with my plans, make me more like Mary.
When I can’t see the big picture or greater purpose, make me more like Mary.
When God asks me to make sacrifices that my flesh pushes back against, make me more like Mary.
