Luke 1:42 “Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, ‘God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.’”
Luke 2:35 “Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
We read this story about Mary and the joy she felt learning she was to be a mother. I remember my joy when I was told that news. Her son would be called Jesus. He would be great and called the Son of the Most High. He would reign over Israel forever; His kingdom will never end. Sounds to me like Mary had to feel like her future with this child would be bright and rosy, no problems here. I wonder her thoughts and feelings she felt as she watched her little boy grow into a man. What hopes and dreams were crushed as she watched Him continually rejected. The pain she finally endured as she watched Him be crucified and spat on, had to make her wonder the words Elizabeth had spoken to her. Did she question her maker? Lord, You told me my Son would be great. He would reign over Israel and be a great king. He would reign forever. I was to be blessed above all women and You promised my Son would be blessed. This is not the picture I had planned for my life or my Son’s life. Yet Mary also was told by Simeon that a sword would pierce her own heart. How could she have imagined this would be the outcome for this little baby she held in her arms.
We all know as a mother, we experience pain right from the get go. No child enters into the world without a mother enduring the pain of birth. Even the woman blessed above all women birthed the King of Kings through pain. We too had plans for our little ones once we knew they were being knitted in our wombs. I am sure just like me you never imagined your little one leaving this world before you. This time of year always brings the story of Mary and Joseph even more real to me. The joy of welcoming a new little baby into a family offers dreams and hope for the future. We know we will be blessed to be called parents. Yet this is not a perfect place and there will be hearts pierced by a sword. I for one would never trade my pierced heart for being blessed above all women to be called Katie’s mom.
Lord, thank You for the blessings of Christmas and a reminder of being blessed above all women to be our child’s mother.
– Michele
