Week 15
April 6 – Mary – Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-7
Mary was visited by the angel, Gabriel. Can you imagine the pressure that was placed on Mary as she heard she was given the responsibility of raising the Son of God? She was wise enough to go to a godly relative to gain encouragement. After receiving encouragement, Mary sings a joyful song of praise. She expressed recognition of the greatness and holy nature of God and His grace. She recognizes God’s unique calling on her life that would result in all future generations calling her blessed. She shows humility while understanding the importance of the plan God had for her life.
Mary has baby Jesus in chapter 2. There is nothing glamorous in verse 7. There is nothing to indicate why women would call her blessed in this humble birth. She was not in a fancy house with a midwife’s help; she was in a barn with the stench of animals. She was not greeted by comforting words from family and friends; she was greeted by the animals noises. She did not lay baby Jesus in a beautiful crib with a cozy silken blanket; she wrapped Jesus in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger. Did she feel like a failure? Did she feel like she couldn’t provide what the Son of God deserved? Was she ashamed of who she was compared to God’s Son? No, she was doing the best she could to please God and His plan for her life. Let us focus on doing our best to please God and His purpose in our lives!
