A Child is Born

A Child is Born
Dec 21, 2009
Luke 1:30-31 " . . . do not be afraid, Mary . . . you will be with child and give birth to a son . . . "


There was a young woman who served the Lord with all her heart. She followed all the laws God had given her; she sacrificed many things in devotion to Him. She was pleased to serve God and only wanted what every girl at her age and time wanted: to marry a Godly man and have children. This traditional life was really all she had thought about growing up. She pictured herself falling in love with a man her parents approved of; she pictured a nice wedding with many guests, where everyone treated her with honor. This young woman kept her imagination busy, trying to figure out how many children she might have and what to name them. She dreamed about a happy and fulfilled life, with friends and family around her, supporting her until her gray years. This young woman's name was Mary and she li ved for about 14 years before Jesus Christ was born.

While the above prelude to Mary's life is not actually found in the Bible, it is not difficult to think this would be pretty accurate. Surely, being human, she had the same dreams of her future that every other girl had, which is the same dream for many girls today. But all her imagining and dreaming for her future were interrupted when an angel appeared to her and told her that she would get pregnant by someone other than her husband. This was not in her dreams; this was not planned. Mary was afraid, and rightly so. She had to try and explain to her parents how she got pregnant. She had to try and explain to her fiance how it all happened. She had to walk down the isle with a baby bump, and marry a man who was not the father of her child. She had to face the looks and stares from people the rest of her life, judging her, condemning her unbelievable story. They probably assumed Mary and Joseph didn't wait for the marriage bed. None of this was what she asked for, or necessarily even wanted.

Despite the historical honor of being the mother of Jesus Christ, it was very uncomfortable for her at the time. Did anyone really believe her, that the child inside her was conceived by the Holy Spirit? They may have said they believed her, but you know in the back of their minds what they were really thinking. You'd think the same thing, too. I would. I probably would not have believed her story, the virgin birth; I probably would have judged her. For the rest of Mary's life, she had to endure many, many things that simply were not dreamed about, all beginning with an unplanned pregnancy.

But the thing about Mary, she didn't complain. She didn't yell at God for having to endure all the jeers from non-believers. Mary didn't throw a temper tantrum; she didn't tell God to take it all back and give her an idyllic lifestyle. She gladly accepted what God had given her. She didn't complain when she had to give birth in a barn. Mary didn't have any outbursts of anger or regret when they had to flee for several years to Egypt in an attempt to save her infant's life. Mary didn't even covet when all her peers were married to men far richer than Joseph or had houses far bigger than her humble place. This servant of God was content with the life that God had chosen for her, despite it being rather uncomfortable most of the time.

During this Christmas season, think about Mary and her attitude toward her life. When you want to complain about what you didn't get in life, or even for Christmas, think about her. When you want to covet what other people have, even what other Christians have, think about Mary humbly accepting the life God had chosen for her. When you want to grumble about the life you think you should have, think about Mary giving up what she wanted in order that God might use her for something bigger than herself.

1. Do you want what God wants for your life?
2. How can you accept the interesting things God has for you?
3. How you can view them as from the Lord?

Add. Scriptures for Study: Isa 29:24, Phil 2:14, Col 2:7, Col 4:2, Heb 12:28, Jas 1:21