Mary – a story of faith

Hi how are you all today? Sorry this blog post is late. Last weekend I sang in choir on Saturday night for community carols in the park and on Sunday I was in choir for our Christmas productions at church. We had one in the morning and one at night. It was a busy week with tech and dress rehearsals, work and life in general. How was your week?

This week we are continuing our Christmas series. Our story will be a fiction version of Mary’s story. It is found in Luke 1 and the verses will be taken from the Message Bible. Let me know your feedback.

Mary was tired after a morning of helping her mum with the household chores. It was a busy time of the year. Just before lunch preparations were to start, she went to her room for a rest and to think on the scripture she heard in the Temple a few days ago. Something about it sent a quickening to her heart.

As she was thinking on it, suddenly an angel appeared in her room. She was terrified but couldn’t scream because her throat felt like it had closed up.

The angel spoke to her:

Good morning!
You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.

What were those words he was saying, Mary thought. Does God even see me, let alone know me that intimately? That is not what they teach in the temple.

She started to tremble but the angel spoke again:

“Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

He will be great,
be called ‘Son of the Highest.’
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob’s house forever—
no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

Pregnant – me, Mary thought. Joseph and I aren’t even wed yet. How is that possible? Her throat started to open up and she said to the angel:

“But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”

Mary was waiting to hear his reply. Should she and Joseph get married quickly, she wondered.

But the angel replied:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth
will be called Holy, Son of God.

^36-38 “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

Mary was excited at the news of Elizabeth being pregnant. They had all prayed and prayed. Maybe what the angel said was possible. What would her family and Joseph think? Where would she go? Joseph will just have to marry her quickly. That way everyone would think it is his. How am I going to stand the ridicule? This will be so hard as nobody will understand.

The angel was still waiting there for her reply.

She said:

Yes, I see it all now:
I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me
just as you say.

That was all she could do- obey God and He would be with her.

As she was pondering everything that had happened, she noticed the angel was no longer there. Was she that tired that she dreamed it all. Time will tell, she mused.

Mary did indeed fall pregnant as a virgin and married Joseph. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and it is His birthday we celebrate at Christmas as the Saviour of the world.

Mary’s story teaches us to obey God when we don’t understand and it doesn’t make sense. Obedience will be messy but worth it as we navigate places in our lives we have never been. But just like Mary, if we know that God is with us, He will help us through.

Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.

Bless you

Karen