MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS
(Matthew 1:16-2:23; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 1:26-56; 2:1-52; John 2:1-12; 19:25-27; Acts 1:12-14)
Imagine that you're a young woman looking forward to being married soon. Suddenly you learn you're about to become pregnant—but not by your fiancé or any other man. What is your response?

Mary's response, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said" (Luke 1:38), stands in dramatic contrast to the response of Zechariah, recorded just a few verses earlier. Although Zechariah was a priest who had spent his life serving God, he couldn't believe the angel's promise of a child to him and Elizabeth (Luke 1:18-19). Mary, however, not only believed, she rejoiced, despite the fact that an unwed pregnancy was likely to have unpleasant consequences. (Her fiancé, Joseph, had to be persuaded by a divine dream to stand by Mary [Matthew 1:18-25].)

When we look at Mary's calm acceptance of God's will for her life, it's tempting to imagine her as wiser and more perceptive than we are. Yet Mary's faith wasn't based on some privileged information about God's plan. In fact, Mary's reaction throughout much of her life as Jesus' mother seems to have been one of surprise and bewilderment. When the angel made his startling announcement, Mary was "confused" and wondered what he meant (Luke 1:19). When the shepherds told Mary and Joseph what the angel had said about Jesus at his birth, Mary was again "surprised … wondering what it meant" (Luke 2:18-19). When Simeon proclaimed Jesus to be the promised Christ, Mary was "surprised" yet again (Luke 2:33). Twelve years later, when Mary found Jesus talking with the teachers in the temple, she was still "amazed" and "did not understand" (Luke 2:46-50).

Clearly, Mary's act of submission to God's will in her life was an act of faith, not a reasoned response to a heavenly blueprint outlining future events and consequences. We see trust and faith, combined with plain motherly pride, when she nudged Jesus to perform his first miracle, changing water into wine at a wedding feast (John 2:3-5). We see her faithfulness, combined with the pain only a mother can feel, when she stood at the foot of the cross (John 19:25). And we see her faith, combined at last with a true understanding of who Jesus was, when she met to pray regularly with the apostles and other believers after Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:14).

We, like Mary, often find ourselves surprised and confused as we try to submit to God's will in our life. We can respond like Zechariah—skeptical and demanding explanations—or we can respond like Mary, singing, "With all my heart I praise the Lord, and I am glad because of God my Savior. God cares for me, his humble servant" (Luke 1:46-48).

Luke 1:26-56
An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus
²⁶One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee ²⁷with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. ²⁸The angel greeted Mary and said, "You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you."

²⁹Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. ³⁰Then the angel told Mary, "Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, ³¹and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. ³³He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end."

³⁴Mary asked the angel, "How can this happen? I am not married!"

³⁵The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. ³⁶Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. ³⁷Nothing is impossible for God!"

³⁸Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said." And the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth
³⁹A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. ⁴⁰She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.

The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. ⁴²Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:

God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. ⁴³Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? ⁴⁴As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. ⁴⁵The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.

Mary's Song of Praise
⁴⁶Mary said:

With all my heart I praise the Lord, ⁴⁷and I am glad because of God my Savior.
⁴⁸He cares for me, his humble servant. From now on, all people will say God has blessed me.
⁴⁹God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
⁵⁰He always shows mercy to everyone who worships him.
⁵¹The Lord has used his powerful arm to scatter those who are proud.
⁵²He drags strong rulers from their thrones and puts humble people in places of power.
⁵³God gives the hungry good things to eat, and sends the rich away with nothing.
⁵⁴He helps his servant Israel and is always merciful to his people.
⁵⁵The Lord made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his family forever!

⁵⁶Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.

These excerpts are from The Bible for Today's Christian Woman. This Bible is no longer in print. But new this month is the Woman's Life Bible, which includes the same great features for today's busy woman. Click here to purchase the Woman's Life Bible.

Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today, Inc. All rights reserved. Excerpted from The Bible for Today's Christian Woman, CEV, pages 1157, 1159-1160. Used by permission. For reprint information call 630-260-6200.