By Deborah South
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Luke 1:26-28
When I read the Christmas story, I try to consider the thoughts that Mary must have had. She was just a young, virgin girl waiting for her wedding day. I can imagine the excitement that filled her heart every time she saw Joseph. Mary was a pure girl ready to give her groom a pure bride. And then her life got hard! The angel Gabriel gave her the message that she would have Jesus, and that she was highly favoured! How could this be? What would people think?
This was a troubling announcement to Mary.
As I think of Mary, I think about the many things that she faced in her life. Some could even say, “Mary lived a hard life!” They would say her life was hard because she had to face the doubts that people would have about whether she was truly a virgin or not. Even Joseph questioned this. In his love for her, he did not want her to be embarrassed so he “being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.”
Her life was hard because she, as a sinful soul, would be raising the sinless Son of God, Who “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” Hebrews 4:15b.
As the songwriter said, “The wonder of wonders as she looked down and smiled that He was her Maker as well as her child. He created the womb that had given Him birth. He was God incarnate come down to the earth.”
Her life was hard when she went to the wedding in Cana, and they ran out of wine. I wonder if maybe she had helped with the preparations. So when she was made aware that the wine was gone, she simply said to Jesus, “They have no wine.”
Her life was hard when they led Jesus to Calvary, and she could do nothing but watch. Her life was hard when Jesus was on the cross and told John, “Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”
Her life was hard on the third day after the crucifixion as she made her way to the garden tomb holding the spices that she would put on the lifeless body of Jesus. She knew a heavy stone was in front of the tomb. It was going to be hard to move the stone.
Yes, Mary lived a hard life by the standard of the world. But what did Mary do with the situations mentioned above from her hard life?
She went to her cousin Elisabeth to rejoice with her in the miracles of two new babies (John the Baptist and Jesus) both coming in very strange situations! (Mary was a virgin and Elisabeth was in her old age.)
She did her job with joy in raising Jesus and pondering the many things in her heart because of His life. She humbly watched Jesus do miracles that only God could do! She submitted to allowing a friend (the disciple, John) to be her help as she grew older. She saw the stone was moved away and Life had come forth! Many of us can say at times that we have a hard life.
How are you using the “hard” things in your life to allow God to be magnified and to realize how “highly favoured” you are?