By I was sitting here this morning thinking about Mother’s Day and I was flooded with thoughts of Mary. Do you ever stop and wonder what life was like for her being the mother of the Messiah? Good grief, and we think we have it hard…
Imagine being a woman and being “told” that your whole world was about to be abruptly turned upside down. And there was absolutely nothing you could do to change the course of it. Surely no amount of whining, opposing, or screaming about your rights was going to alter the course that was set in place for you and that beautiful baby you were now graced with carrying. You and your soon to be husband were in for a life of “what ifs” and you had only your faith to carry you through each step of the way.
Each time that you find yourself faced with a hard time in your life pertaining to your children, stop and put yourself in Mary’s shoes. My word, I can’t even imagine the strength she had to have within knowing the insurmountable outcome that lay ahead for her child. Now one could argue, “Billie, she didn’t know what was to come for her child, so how can you say that?” My answer is simple, she was his mother, trust me she knew.
I think any of us that are mothers can understand that statement, more so when we stop and we think of how she was chosen out of all of the other women in the world at that time. There was a reason that God chose her and it would be unreasonable to discount the importance of that. I would imagine that the bond she held with Jesus was incomparable to anything we know today. God gave her the purpose of being his mother for a reason, and I’m certain that with that came a depth of knowledge and knowing that we can’t even fathom. So yes, I truly believe she knew deep down inside from the very beginning what kind of future lay ahead for her child.
Fast forward to when it became time for Jesus to start his journey in making himself known. Good grief I can only imagine the complexity of emotions that riddled Mary’s mind and heart. I would believe it is a safe bet to say she was filled with an unsurpassed pride for what her son was about to embark upon. Can you imagine knowing that your child was chosen for such an important role for humanity? That God Himself had chosen him for such a purpose and now you get to watch him walk in that purpose. I can only imagine how her heart swelled with the pride she held for him as she watched him progress along his journey and to watch him blossom fully into the purpose of what God had in store for him.
But sitting here as a mother, my heart breaks for Mary, as I can only imagine the fear and torment that plagued her also. I know that she was of great faith and that it was her faith that kept her strong, but as a mother I also know that she had to have been afraid for her child. She was, after all, human. Even knowing he was to serve a purpose for the greater good and for God Himself, she was his Mama and there was no way she didn’t fear or mourn for her child.
And for her to have such a strong faith in Him and in God to believe in that purpose and to faithfully follow him without hindrance, she truly exhibited a strength that I believe many of us today would do a service to ourselves to dig deep and find within ourselves. Sometimes I believe we need to remind ourselves that we need to let go and trust in the good Lord and to trust our child, for God has a plan for them and who are we to hinder that? Who are we to attempt to alter the design that God has set forth for our child and the path He set out for our child long before we even thought of bringing our child into this world?
Mary was the perfect example of being the strong, faith driven mother. She knew that God’s plans were what she needed to nurture and allow to take root within her child, and she never attempted to hinder that. She nurtured it, she promoted it, she kept faithful even knowing that it most likely was going to bring turmoil and/or trouble upon her son. But it was her faith and her hope in God that led her in her ways while raising who would become our Savior.
“… My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me holy is his name.” Luke 1.46-49
This weekend as we celebrated the mothers in our lives let us not forget to stop and remember the one that we really should pay homage too. And let us reflect and ponder upon the kind of mother she was, her devotion not only to her child but that she had to God, too. And let us (honestly) ask ourselves where we may have room for improvement in both areas so that one day we can look back and say, “I was blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me…”
Billie is a 40-something stay-at-home momma of five beautiful children and Grammy to three grandchildren. When not wrangling the littles, she babysits for her two adult children. You will find her gardening, canning, baking, and making the most delicious meals for her family. Billie is a multitasker juggling a team of miniature tyrants, a cat, a snake, two dogs, two rats, and nine chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and studying her bible. Her passion is sharing the gospel through her writing! So, whether she’s feeding your body with delicious meals or feeding your soul through her writing, join Billie as she takes you on a journey providing you with “Food for Thought.”
by leaps and bounds 