Today, as we approach Christmas, Mary is on my mind. Jesus’ birth was announced as good news of great joy. There were proclamations of glory and whispers of peace scattered throughout the land. Excitement among those who knew of the pregnancy had to permeate the whole group. But let us not forget Mary. Sure, she was a faithful young woman who had a calling from God. Mary was also human. She was a young woman who was unmarried and was very pregnant. She now had to make a trip with her soon-to-be husband, who, by the way, is not the baby’s father. She had to leave the comforts of her home where she would take her very pregnant self somewhere for something some official had told them was required.
Can you imagine how she must have felt? She had to bear quite a bit of the weight of it all. Shepherds come to her excited. Later, magi will show up at her door. Older and wiser men and women will proclaim great things over her beautiful baby boy. Good news of great joy is indeed to come. But for now, she is a single, pregnant woman who is getting ready to travel and will likely not make it home before this baby is born.
Joy and peace and hope do not always look like we think they should. They do not always fit the mold we have created. God tends to do things outside of our mindset. Since he is the Creator, he isn’t limited to our narrow points of view. And he doesn’t need us to understand. He simply asks for faithfulness. In the end, that is what Mary was – faithful. She did get to experience good news of great joy, but only because she was faithful even when all looked frightening and shaky. She prepared for a journey not knowing how it would all turn out. But her faithfulness is still reverberating in our world today. What a gift of great joy!
Will you be faithful even when you do not understand? There just may be joy, peace, hope and love just around the corner.
Focus Scripture:
Luke 2:1-6
2 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.
Photos included in Devotions are captured by David Cain – The Cain Gallery. Photos are available for sale by contacting The Cain Gallery
SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY 