Mary

 Mary as played by Keisha Castle-Hughes. The Nativity Story

 

 

And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord;

be it unto me according to thy word."

Luke 1:38 (KJV)

I am struck by the beautiful response of Mary to the incredible news that she would become the mother of Jesus, the son of God - a startling and unbelievable word which she accepted, after a brief explanation, immediately and completely.  With incredible strength and determination she said, “Look at me. I am the Lord's servant. Let all that he said to me come true.” 

She becomes for us a picture of God's choice of the humble and lowly whose hearts are open to receive.  God delights in paradox.  In his kingdom up is down and down is up, the weak are strong, the poor are rich. And so the King of Kings was born not in a palace but in a stable to a humble peasant couple.  

When Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is also miraculously pregnant, they rejoice together over the wonderful things that have happened.  Mary bursts out in a song praising the God who exalts the humble and brings down the proud. 

  

The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 

  How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 

 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, 

and from now on all generations will call me blessed. 

 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.   

 He shows mercy from generation to generation

to all who fear him.   

 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! 

He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.  

  He has brought down princes from their thrones

and exalted the humble. 

   He has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away with empty hands. 

He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.   

 For he made this promise to our ancestors, 

to Abraham and his children forever.”

Luke 1:46-55 (NLT)

The weak inherit and the strong lose out.  Those who are hungry, he fills. When we declare our low estate and trust God to fill us with good things, he comes in. Let us respond like Mary, “Here I am.  May all your desire for me come into being.”