There are many incredible women in the Bible whose stories proclaim extraordinary lessons for us to learn and gleam from, but every Christmas, I can’t help but pause and reflect on the beautiful heart and nature of Mary. This simple peasant girl from Nazareth, no more than 16, gives us a sweet glimpse of what our God wants from us this Christmas.
Yet, upon Gabriel’s surprising visit and rather bold announcement, while Mary’s initial reaction was one of shock, confusion, and even fear showing her humanity, the humility, obedience, faithfulness, and joy she portrayed shows God’s goodness and how He often uses the meek and mild to carry out His purposeful plan (Luke 1:28-33).
Even still, it often leaves me to ponder what questions flooded into her mind. Was there a sense of heaviness that filled her heart? Did she worry about Joseph’s reaction, especially since falling pregnant without an official consummation was not going to be received very well? Not to mention, the huge task at hand to carry the Son of Man, becoming the mother of God!
As we read more about Mary’s story, we gain more of an insight as to why God chose her to carry out the greatest birth in history! So, let’s take a moment to discover some lessons we can learn from Mary and embrace this season by following her example as she teaches us how to love and honor God at Christmastime.
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1. Mary's Humility Was Heartfelt
Mary is often depicted as the supreme role model and prime example of a faithful and humble servant. However, to better understand why that is, let’s dig into her story and see how it all began: Mary was born in Nazareth, Galilee, into a Jewish community, coming from the lineage of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob (Luke 3:34), with King David and Solomon being her ancestors. It’s apparent that she came from a long line of faithful and devoted followers of God.
Side note: The Bible tracks the lineage and ancestry of families not only to denote important events and confirm the existence of the characters we encounter in His Word, but it also opens our hearts to receive how everyone plays a part (including us) to the fulfillment of God’s good and perfect plan. In this case, it was a fulfillment of prophecy!
While Mary’s early life is not really mentioned in the Word, we can gather, based on her reactions and devotion, that she was taught the Torah, raised in the temple, and gained wisdom from other influential women in her younger years. This was all the basis and foundation of her humility.
She certainly shows her troubled emotions when Gabriel appears to her in Luke 1:29, but she is not afraid to ask questions (Luke 1:34). You can see her groveling for understanding, yet, with Gabriel’s reassurance, she humbly submits to the Lord’s request by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38).
Pause and Reflect: Read Luke 1:26-38. How does Mary’s response reflect the nature of her heart? Do you feel you are a humble servant of the Lord? How can you trust Him this season and say “yes” with a humble heart to God?
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2. Her Obedience Was Inspiring
Mary wasn’t chosen because she was raised in a faith-filled home, practiced flawless faith, or was a picturesque humble servant. In fact, 1 Corinthian 1:27, tells us otherwise, as God often chooses the meek, misunderstood, lonely, lost, misfortunate, and even the foolish by worldly standards to carry out His mission.
Luke 1:30 tells us that Mary was “favored by God,” which means she was the recipient of His kind and unmerited blessing. Mary was a flawed human being (like us all), but God noticed her humble heart and open mind that were willing to trust Him no matter what was at stake. And, oh, there was a lot at stake!
Mary fully trusted the Lord and waited for His good and perfect timing. Sure, she more than likely wondered how she was going to explain her pregnancy to Joseph and her family. She probably had many other questions that plagued her heart, too. Yet, instead of letting the stress rise or trying to take matters into her own hands, she simply surrendered it all to her Father. Her response and obedience are inspiring as she wholeheartedly knew God would not only take care of her and Joseph but provide a path for His ultimate plan to unfold, offering hope to the entire world!
Pause and Reflect: Read Matthew 1:18-25. In Joseph’s account, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream, prompting him to accept the divine plan given to Mary and care for her while she carried the Son of Man. On a personal level, what do you need to surrender to God to make room for Him to move in your life?
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3. Courage Shined Through Her Faithfulness
Luke 1 mentions Gabriel visiting Mary, but there is a similar account of his powerful presence also appearing before Zechariah, declaring that his wife Elizabeth was with child (Luke 1:13). Zechariah and Mary have common responses to Gabriel, even posing similar questions. Zechariah asked, “How can this be? I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years" (Luke 1:18) while Mary asked, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:36). But, there is one main difference, and it all boils down to faith.
Zechariah’s question came with a tinge of doubt in God’s abilities, while Mary’s question, although similar, stemmed from humble confusion. There is also a difference in heart posture, and Gabriel obviously read between the lines as he heard each of them pose their questions. Due to Zechariah's lack of faith, he remained mute until his son, John the Baptist, was born (Luke 1:20). Yet, because of Mary’s courage, God gave her peace and assurance, giving way for her to respond with genuine faith (Luke 1:38).
Pause and Reflect: Read Luke 1:1-25. What do you notice between Zechariah and Mary’s stories? Do you feel you hold doubts or fully surrender when it comes to God’s plan for your life? How can you have the courage to trust God and enrich your faith this Christmas?
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4. Prayers and Praise Radiated Mary’s Joy
Mary visits her cousin, and upon arrival, Elizabeth immediately becomes filled with the Holy Spirit and feels baby John leap for joy in her womb (Luke 1:40-41). What a simply sweet image of Jesus and John interacting with brotherly love before they were even born, prompting Mary’s motherly instincts to respond by rejoicing in the goodness and faithfulness of God.
In Luke 1:46-55 Mary lifts up her heart in praise, worship, and song. Despite what she was going through and the worry, concerns, and even humiliation that she could have faced with an unwed pregnancy, she decided to radiate joy. In this song, Mary acknowledges that God is holy and merciful and that His grace is sufficient, passed down from generation to generation.
This beautiful song also parallels Hannah’s heartfelt prayer in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, when Hannah was moved from lament to praise as she dedicated her son unto the Lord. Mary, Elizabeth, and Hannah endured extreme challenges and suffered great hardships, yet they saw motherhood as a priceless gift and blessing from God. It opened their hearts to joyfully give God their gratitude in real and honest prayer and precious praise.
Pause and Reflect: Read Luke 1:39-55. Do you hear the praise and glory Mary is giving to her God? How can you give God your thanks and praise this season and consider it all joy?
Sweet sister, may we allow this Christmas to be a tender time to reflect on how we can have a heart of humility, an open mind to listen and obey, walk boldly in our faith, and spread joy as Mary did.
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Originally published Wednesday, 27 November 2024.
