One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary, did you know?" and this Christmas season, I find myself pondering Mary, mother of Jesus, even more. It's in the moments that I chase my toddler-baby around the house that I wonder, "
Did Mary chase Jesus around the house to get his diaper changed? Did Jesus stumble and fall, ever bump his head, or whine when mother said 'No!'?"
Did her birth story go the way she planned and hoped?
I doubt she thought about giving birth in a manger or riding a donkey while 9 months pregnant. Surely, God protected her from any post delivery trauma. What about nursing? Did that go well? Did she feel comfortable asking Elizabeth or her mother for advice when it seemed difficult? Did Mary get to sleep through the night early on?
Did Mary ever think
"I don't know what I'm doing!" like I do? Did Jesus ever throw food on the floor or refuse to eat
everything she cooked that day? How many times did she have to remind herself that this
little boy was actually God!?
How many times did she read the Scriptures to get a glimpse as to what was coming? Did she believe her son would be "despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering and familiar with pain" (Isaiah 53:3). Did she too, pray that this cup be removed from him?
I'd like to think that Mary had the most perfect little boy, he was after all sinless, and her life was without trouble or pain. But when I read the story of his birth, something tells me that Mary didn't get any sort of special treatment when it came to motherhood. Her life was not made easier by the birth of the Savior, in fact, it seems it got much harder:
- Fiancé wanted to divorce her once he heard of the pregnancy, thankfully an angel changed his mind
- Delivered baby in a manger
- Had to escape to Egypt to avoid Herod's plan to kill Jesus and then to Nazareth
- We know Jesus's brothers didn't think too highly of him for a while
- And last but not least, his death.
This tiny little baby was put in her care and she was charged with raising the Savior of the world! How did she do it!? How did she raise Jesus knowing that he was God-with-us; knowing his death was prophesied? Knowing that his death meant more than life?
Can you imagine the roller coaster of emotions?
Was Mary a worst-case-scenario thinker like me? I sure hope God gave her His peace that transcends all understanding! But what about the moments of joy that filled this mother's heart? When did she first get a glimpse of his Holiness? Did he perform miracles just for her?
This week I came across two articles that really spoke to me about Mary. Both share themes about the swaddling of Baby Jesus, lying in a manger and the character of Mary. Please take a moment to read them.
JenedyPaige
HearkenInstitute
May your Christmas season be blessed as you ponder the Christ-child!
One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary, did you know?" and this Christmas season, I find myself pondering Mary, mother of Jesus, even more. It's in the moments that I chase my toddler-baby around the house that I wonder, "
Did Mary chase Jesus around the house to get his diaper changed? Did Jesus stumble and fall, ever bump his head, or whine when mother said 'No!'?"
Did her birth story go the way she planned and hoped?
I doubt she thought about giving birth in a manger or riding a donkey while 9 months pregnant. Surely, God protected her from any post delivery trauma. What about nursing? Did that go well? Did she feel comfortable asking Elizabeth or her mother for advice when it seemed difficult? Did Mary get to sleep through the night early on?
Did Mary ever think
"I don't know what I'm doing!" like I do? Did Jesus ever throw food on the floor or refuse to eat
everything she cooked that day? How many times did she have to remind herself that this
little boy was actually God!?
How many times did she read the Scriptures to get a glimpse as to what was coming? Did she believe her son would be "despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering and familiar with pain" (Isaiah 53:3). Did she too, pray that this cup be removed from him?
I'd like to think that Mary had the most perfect little boy, he was after all sinless, and her life was without trouble or pain. But when I read the story of his birth, something tells me that Mary didn't get any sort of special treatment when it came to motherhood. Her life was not made easier by the birth of the Savior, in fact, it seems it got much harder:
- Fiancé wanted to divorce her once he heard of the pregnancy, thankfully an angel changed his mind
- Delivered baby in a manger
- Had to escape to Egypt to avoid Herod's plan to kill Jesus and then to Nazareth
- We know Jesus's brothers didn't think too highly of him for a while
- And last but not least, his death.
This tiny little baby was put in her care and she was charged with raising the Savior of the world! How did she do it!? How did she raise Jesus knowing that he was God-with-us; knowing his death was prophesied? Knowing that his death meant more than life?
Can you imagine the roller coaster of emotions?
Was Mary a worst-case-scenario thinker like me? I sure hope God gave her His peace that transcends all understanding! But what about the moments of joy that filled this mother's heart? When did she first get a glimpse of his Holiness? Did he perform miracles just for her?
This week I came across two articles that really spoke to me about Mary. Both share themes about the swaddling of Baby Jesus, lying in a manger and the character of Mary. Please take a moment to read them.
JenedyPaige
HearkenInstitute
May your Christmas season be blessed as you ponder the Christ-child!
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