For many, the Christmas season is a time of joy, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It reminds us that God sent His son in human form to save us from sin and reconcile us to Him. But have you ever pondered that first Christmas season? Perhaps it wasn’t exactly joyful. I’ve often wondered what it was like for Mary.
I’m sure that’s why one of my favorite Christmas songs is “Mary Did You Know?”
This song has always filled me with awe and wonder. Why would God choose to send His own son to save us, me? And why would He do it in this particular way? What must Mary have been thinking, feeling?
Mary’s Experience
When Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph, Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, visited her and said, “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 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, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:31-33, NIV) But did Mary understand what this meant?
And what of Mary’s hopes and dreams for the future? Did she understand that life as she knew it was about to change forever? Instead of excitedly planning a wedding, she would face the shame of an unplanned pregnancy. Rather than building a home and easing into a family, she would journey to a faraway land, heavily laden with pregnancy. Can you imagine the fear, discomfort, and exhaustion she must have felt?. Rather than birthing her son at home in comfort surrounded by friends and family, she would give birth in a dirty, smelly stable. And rather than returning home afterwards, she would have to flee to another country for two years to protect her baby’s life.
Mary’s Response
When Gabriel visited Mary and foretold of what was to come, she didn’t protest or ask why. Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant…May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38, NIV).
Never do we read of Mary complaining. Not once do we read of her fears and anxieties. Instead, we hear her proclaim, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me” (Luke 1:47-49, NLT).
God’s Plan Included Mary
At Christmas, I am awestruck by God’s immense love and sacrifice. However, I have never been able to comprehend why God chose to do things the way He did. I mean, why didn’t God just clap His majestic hands and proclaim, “OK, world, you are forgiven.” Why would he choose to send His own son to become a lowly human, to be rejected, tortured, and killed? Surely, there must have been an easier way.
However, God had a masterful plan for our salvation that was far greater than human comprehension. God’s plan fulfilled more than 300 prophecies. God’s plan of allowing Jesus to be born and die as a human undid the power of death and sin that entered the world after Adam committed the first sin. “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” (Hebrews 2:14-15, NLT)
Additionally, because Jesus was human, we can relate to Him. We can find hope, knowing He understands the human experience, with all its ups and downs, temptations, and trials. He understands human emotions, joy, heartache, betrayal, and grief. Yet, Jesus overcame the world and defeated death. So, now, whatever we walk through, we know that with Jesus, we, too, can overcome anything, including death.
God’s Ways Are Higher
Wow! Now that’s a plan! No wonder God’s Word tells us, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9, NIV).
I’ll admit it, God’s ways are often beyond my understanding. I have spent a lifetime asking him, ‘how’ and ‘why?’ Even from a very early age, I remember asking, “If God made us, who made God? Why did God make us?” Why does God allow bad things to happen?
And when things haven’t gone as I’d hoped or expected, I have questioned God’s plans for my life. But Mary never did. Even though Mary’s hopes and dreams were fading before her eyes, she responded with obedience, faith, and trust. Instead of being angry or anxious, she trusted that God’s plans were better than her own.
Let’s Learn From Mary
Sometimes, life throws us a curveball, and it appears as if our dreams are dead in the water. But instead of shaking our fist at the world and asking God why, we can remember how Mary responded, in humility, faith, and obedience. Then we can try to look beyond our circumstances and trust that God’s plans are always greater than what we see or perceive. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28, NLT).
Dear friend, as Christmas approaches, whether you are celebrating with joy, enduring grief and heartache, or fretting about the year to come, let’s reflect on Mary and remember God’s great plan for her life, and ultimately, ours. Regardless of the circumstances, God is always good. He loves you so much that He sacrificed His own son for you!
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