Luke 1:1, 38 KJV
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
We always know Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Virgin Mary. That in itself is a testimony about her character and life. She kept herself pure. She stood for God and purity, and she was available to be used of God. She was ready in season and out of season.
Several things stand out when we look at the Christmas story from Mary’s perspective. First, we must acknowledge that she had an understanding of God’s word. The fact that she embraced the declaration of the angel suggests that she had a knowing of what biblical prophesy had declared about the coming Messiah.
Mary was a woman of faith. Unlike Zacharias who doubted the word of the angel, Mary embraced it with faith in her heart, and she spoke it out when she said be it into me according to your word.
As much as this was wonderful news, it would put Mary in harms way because of the culture of the day. Being that she was betrothed to be married to Joseph, being found to be with child would mean that she had been unfaithful and that was a death sentence.
She did not concern herself with that, instead, she believed God would sort it out. This meant a possible divorce, and Joseph was actually thinking along those lines. Think about what both families would say, the repercussions of this “blessing” seems so negative, but Mary did not concern herself with how things would work out, she just believed.
What has God spoken to you?
Have you believed, or are you busy trying to work out the details of how everything will fit together?
After the visitation, Mary went on to stay with her cousin Elizabeth, and she was there for 3 months. She knew the company to keep because, as the angel told her, Elizabeth also had received a supernatural visitation. Keeping the wrong company can cause you to abort the vision that God has conceived in your heart.
Mary was a woman of faith a woman of courage a woman of purity and purpose, and she was a woman whose heart was sold out to God ready to walk in obedience no matter what.
Reflections
What are some complications brought about by teenage pregnancy?
Imagine Mary was your daughter, and she came with such news of being pregnant by the Holy Spirit. How would you respond?
What impossible thing has God spoken to you, do you believe he will do it or are you in doubt?
