Wednesday December 6, 2023

 

Have you ever asked yourself why God chose Mary to be the earthly mother of His Son Jesus? She wasn’t more than a girl of about 15 or 16 years of age; she came from a very ordinary family – we don’t even know who her parents were -- and she came from a humble village called Nazareth of Galilee. Why her? Why not an older woman with more life experience, from a more influential and prestigious family and from a bigger and more famous city?

 

God chose Mary because He did not look at or value what we human beings look at and value.  We look at the exterior, in what can be seen, while God concentrates on the interior, on what cannot be seen, on what is in the heart. “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)  And because Mary had a heart that was sensitive and devoted to God, He favored her.

 

I invite you to read Luke 1:26-56 – and then together we can look at a few possible reasons why God might have chosen Mary to be the earthly mother of His Son Jesus:

1)    Mary was a woman who was set apart, pure and consecrated – “… the virgin’s name was Mary” (v.27)

2)    Mary was a humble and simple woman who recognized her dependence on God – “… I am the Lord’s servant …” (v.38) – “… God my Savior … has been mindful of the humble state of His servant …” (vs.47,48)

3)    Mary was submissive and obedient to God’s commands – “… May your word to me be fulfilled.” (v.38)

4)    Mary was a woman full of faith – her cousin Elizabeth said of her, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promise to her!” (v.45)

5)    Mary was a woman full of praise – “And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord.” (v.46)

6)    Mary was a woman full of joy, even when the most impossible and unrealistic event was happening to her – “ … my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (v.47)

7)    Mary was a woman of the Holy Scriptures, the Word of God – in the Magnificat, her beautiful worship to God, she demonstrated that she was very familiar with the passages and themes of the Old Testament that pointed to the Messiah who was to come (vs.46-55)

8)    Mary knew very well the God that she served  – for her, He was the “Lord”, “God my Savior”, “the Mighty One”,  “Holy”, the One who does “great things”, the One who lifts up the “humble”, the Giver of  “mercy” from generation to generation (vs.46-55).

 

When God sent the angel Gabriel to give the good news to Mary – that she, being a virgin, would conceive and give birth to a son who would be called “Son of the Most High” – he said to her: “… Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you … you have found favor with God.” (vs.28 y 30)

 

Dear friend: God’s eyes are searching the whole earth, looking for more “Marys” – men and women set apart, humble, faithful, Biblical, full of praise, prayer and joy as was Mary – through whom He can accomplish His eternal purposes and plans for humanity. Is it possible that you and I are one of those people?  Could it be that you and I are also favored and blessed because we have found grace before God? May it be so.

+ QUOTES FOR LIFE