The Obedience of Mary

Would you sit back and watch your first born Son be beaten, His flesh being torn from His body? Would you just stand by and watch as they hang your Son on a cross and crucify Him?

Think about a very young girl, who an angel appeared to and told her she would be giving birth to a Son, and here she was about to be married to a man who would not be the father of this baby. Now we all know that God gave each one of us free will. She could have said no, she did not want this responsibility. After all, in that day and time, her being pregnant and not married but betrothed to another man should have caused her to be stoned to death. But even knowing all of this, she followed God's will for her. This is one of those times, our Pastor would say, you better know it is God's voice you are listening to before you act on something. So, Mary must have been very faithful in her following the Lord, to know this was of Him. I am not saying that Mary belongs up there in the trinity with Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit. But, we do need to consider her as the mother of Christ. Please do not misunderstand and think I am saying we need to idolize Mary or worship Mary, that is nothing close to what I am saying. However, she deserves as much consideration as John the Baptist, as Paul, and other martyrs in the Bible. She has sacrificed a lot in her own way. Do you not think that watching your first born Son die on a cross after being beaten and not saying a word, having to keep your mouth shut is not a form of martyr ism? When she said yes, she put her life on the line to carry the Life of the One who would save the rest of us for eternity. She was faithful to God, in letting His will be carried out through her and not her own will.

I know you are thinking, she was just a vessel God used to bring His Son to life on this earth. To bring His plan to fruition. This is true, but do you think, a surrogate mother that carries a child for 9 months does not feel love for that child as if it were her own, or better yet makes sure that she does everything in her own powers to give this child a healthy birth, a healthy start in life. You know, the story of Mary reminds me of those surrogate moms out there, who carry babies for other women who can not carry their own babies, so that they may have the joy of a child. Mary carried Jesus so that everyone, along with her, could know the Joy of God, through His Son. Mary was faithful and said yes to God in His plans for her life. How many of us can say that we would do the same, if God asked us to do something that could cause us bodily harm or maybe even death? Stop, before you answer, because how many of us has He told us to go and witness to someone, to tell someone about His Son and what He can do for them, and we do not do it because we might suffer a little embarrassment? WOW! That sure stepped on my toes! How about you? So don't be too quick to disregard Mary and not give her a little bit of credit in her part of bringing a child into the world just to have to stand by and watch as He was crucified so that we could all spend eternity one day with Him and the Father. After all, she was highly favored by God and chosen by God Himself to carry His Son and bring Him to this earth.

Luke 1 vs 26-28....Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgins' name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!"

Luke 1 vs 30-31..."And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus."....

Luke 1 vs 34-35...Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God."....

Luke 1 vs 38....Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be done unto me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.....

Luke 2 vs 34...then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."....

This had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit and he was sharing with Mary and Joseph what the Holy Spirit had shown him. He was telling Mary that she herself would suffer a broken heart over what her Child would have to go through.

We are always saying we would love to have the faith of Abraham, David and Daniel or the patience of Job but what about the obedience of Mary?

Neta