Daily Devotional

As I was reading through the first couple chapters in Luke I was drawn to Mary and how great
her faith was. When she questioned the angel who told her she was going to give birth to Jesus,
"How can this be, since I do not know a man?" I wondered why it didn't result in muteness as it
did Zacharias when he questioned the angel who told him his wife was going to have a son…"How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years?" I'm
not a scholar but I believe it was because she was questioning HOW it would happen, not IF it
would happen and Zacharias was questioning God's ability to make it happen.

I love seeing Mary's mothering nature throughout the next chapter. She pondered so many
things about her child. It didn't say she went out and talked to all her friends about it and got
their opinions and thoughts on the matter but she pondered in her heart (a definition of ponder: To meditate and think deeply, often upon the scriptures or other things of God. When combinedwith prayer, pondering the things of God may bring revelation and understanding..). AlthoughSimeon's prayer was spoken publicly there were words he spoke specifically to Mary. "Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, His mother, 'Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'" I like to believe the Lord was giving Mary time to ponder and prepare her Mother's heart for what was to come.

I remember losing sight of each of my children at different times in their childhood (yes, it
happened at least once with all 4 of my kids!) I remember the anguish I felt for that short amount of time. After THREE WHOLE DAYS of searching for Jesus and finding him in the temple, I can picture Mary grabbing His shirt and pulling Him to her and looking Him in the face with tears coming down her cheeks, crying, "Son, why have You done this to us! Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously." The Word tells us she and Joseph didn't understand His statement about being about His Father's business but that she also kept this in her heart as well.

I guess I like reading these things about Mary because she encourages me. She didn't have all
the answers, she may have felt like a complete failure at times and probably felt like the
outcome of her circumstances were completely out of her control. But, her demeanor seems to
have been one of quiet trust and faith in Her God.

"Lord Jesus, help me to speak less and ponder more with you."

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.