Mary
I find myself thinking about Mary a lot these days, maybe it is the season, maybe just part of my spiritual journey, maybe it is because I feel being childless, or maybe it is because she was chosen...
I hear that she should been around 14 years old when the angel spoke to her, called her favored, told her to rejoice, she was chosen to carry the Messiah. A virgin. young. engaged. Mary I wonder what that was like for you.... when the angel told you that you were chosen by God Himself to carry the one that would give life. The scripture is so limited but did this bring you to your knees, did you think you were dreaming or was the presence so real that you knew immediately that you were a part of something that was bigger than you could explain.
What was it like to be overcame by God Himself to conceive as a virgin this child that held so much promise, that would fulfill the prophesy of the Torah itself.
When you went to visit your cousin Elizabeth, who was carrying John, the one that would prepare the way for the Messiah, for the one you were carrying, was it overwhelming that she knew you were pregnant with the Messiah. Was it beautiful and amazing to see Elizabeth pregnant at her age who could no longer be called childless? I love Luke 1:37 where it states nothing is impossible for our God. It so encourages my heart, for nothing is impossible with our God, absolutely nothing.
Mary was it easy for you to say "I am the Lord's slave, may it be done to me according to your word", was it a peaceful submission?
I find myself overcome by your praise, your recognition of what the Lord has done for you by choosing you, and your humble acceptance. Did your hope escalate for you knew the prayers and the prophesies were being answered in the birth of the one you carried.
How did you handle it when Joseph reacted like any man would to hear that the girl he was engaged to was pregnant and he was not the father? When his first reaction was what would be expected, to divorce you quietly, he cared for your reputation and your life. How did it feel to know the law would stone you but your faith in God would show you that God would not allow His plan to be stopped. What was it like when he returned to you after his dream, his encounter with God. Were you relieved by his encounter? Or did you just smile because you recalled your encounter with the Messenger and knew it just took one encounter with HIM to change it all.
Mary, I wonder what it felt like to feel Jesus grow within you, his first kick against you. Did you have heartburn or crave the unusual? As he grew did what you were carrying begin to register? Was is overwhelming?
What did it feel like to make that journey to Jerusalem with Joseph? Did you know this was part of HIS plan, was it painful, was peace mixed with the pain? Was your anticipation growing to see HIM.
I can't imagine being so young and labor starting and not having your mom and the ladies of your community with you, surrounding you as you gave birth.
What was it like to see our Messiah for the first time, to count His finger, His toes. To clean Him, wrap Him snugly in cloth, to swaddle Him and lay Him in a trough. Were you at peace being in the barn surrounded by the animals because You knew He was the one promised, the one that would give us life. Did knowing He was the one promise trump the environment of the birth, I think it did.... I think you understood the impact of this one that was in your arms.
When the shepherds came, shared their experience with the angel of the Lord and how they were terrified at first because of what they were seeing, how one angel turned into a multiple of heavenly host, did it sink in at that moment, the greatness of this birth, this hope that was born?
One of my favorite scriptures is when it stated "but Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them" this scripture tells me the impact of the experience, that you recognized the largeness of the journey you were on.
What a hope He brought from the beginning, He was recognized to be the promised one by Simeon, who was told that he would not see death until he saw the Lord's Messiah. What it must have felt like when Simeon took HIM up in his arms, Mary, was it heart filling to hear Simeon's words, to realize that the great joy you were feeling would one day be changed to feel the greatest heartache you would ever experience.
I can't imagine all that you experienced in being the one chosen to carry, birth, nurture and love on the ONE that I have the greatest gratitude towards and the ONE that loves me like no other. I am thankful that HE used you to show me that I am chosen.
I hear that she should been around 14 years old when the angel spoke to her, called her favored, told her to rejoice, she was chosen to carry the Messiah. A virgin. young. engaged. Mary I wonder what that was like for you.... when the angel told you that you were chosen by God Himself to carry the one that would give life. The scripture is so limited but did this bring you to your knees, did you think you were dreaming or was the presence so real that you knew immediately that you were a part of something that was bigger than you could explain.
What was it like to be overcame by God Himself to conceive as a virgin this child that held so much promise, that would fulfill the prophesy of the Torah itself.
When you went to visit your cousin Elizabeth, who was carrying John, the one that would prepare the way for the Messiah, for the one you were carrying, was it overwhelming that she knew you were pregnant with the Messiah. Was it beautiful and amazing to see Elizabeth pregnant at her age who could no longer be called childless? I love Luke 1:37 where it states nothing is impossible for our God. It so encourages my heart, for nothing is impossible with our God, absolutely nothing.
Mary was it easy for you to say "I am the Lord's slave, may it be done to me according to your word", was it a peaceful submission?
I find myself overcome by your praise, your recognition of what the Lord has done for you by choosing you, and your humble acceptance. Did your hope escalate for you knew the prayers and the prophesies were being answered in the birth of the one you carried.
How did you handle it when Joseph reacted like any man would to hear that the girl he was engaged to was pregnant and he was not the father? When his first reaction was what would be expected, to divorce you quietly, he cared for your reputation and your life. How did it feel to know the law would stone you but your faith in God would show you that God would not allow His plan to be stopped. What was it like when he returned to you after his dream, his encounter with God. Were you relieved by his encounter? Or did you just smile because you recalled your encounter with the Messenger and knew it just took one encounter with HIM to change it all.
Mary, I wonder what it felt like to feel Jesus grow within you, his first kick against you. Did you have heartburn or crave the unusual? As he grew did what you were carrying begin to register? Was is overwhelming?
What did it feel like to make that journey to Jerusalem with Joseph? Did you know this was part of HIS plan, was it painful, was peace mixed with the pain? Was your anticipation growing to see HIM.
I can't imagine being so young and labor starting and not having your mom and the ladies of your community with you, surrounding you as you gave birth.
What was it like to see our Messiah for the first time, to count His finger, His toes. To clean Him, wrap Him snugly in cloth, to swaddle Him and lay Him in a trough. Were you at peace being in the barn surrounded by the animals because You knew He was the one promised, the one that would give us life. Did knowing He was the one promise trump the environment of the birth, I think it did.... I think you understood the impact of this one that was in your arms.
When the shepherds came, shared their experience with the angel of the Lord and how they were terrified at first because of what they were seeing, how one angel turned into a multiple of heavenly host, did it sink in at that moment, the greatness of this birth, this hope that was born?
One of my favorite scriptures is when it stated "but Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them" this scripture tells me the impact of the experience, that you recognized the largeness of the journey you were on.
What a hope He brought from the beginning, He was recognized to be the promised one by Simeon, who was told that he would not see death until he saw the Lord's Messiah. What it must have felt like when Simeon took HIM up in his arms, Mary, was it heart filling to hear Simeon's words, to realize that the great joy you were feeling would one day be changed to feel the greatest heartache you would ever experience.
I can't imagine all that you experienced in being the one chosen to carry, birth, nurture and love on the ONE that I have the greatest gratitude towards and the ONE that loves me like no other. I am thankful that HE used you to show me that I am chosen.
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