Mary, did you know?

As I sit here on this Christmas Eve, I have many thoughts. This Christmas season, as all of the others before it, have been a whirlwind. Such a whirlwind, in fact, that I didn't get my cards mailed. They were ordered, they were received, most of them were even addressed but they never made it into the mail. I can recall times where that would have stressed me beyond measure. Today....not so much.

And as I ponder why, all I can think about is Mary.

I wonder what she might have been doing on this day all those years ago and I think back to my own pregnancies. Of course, because of the lack of technology, she probably wasn't able to pinpoint the baby's arrival and plan and prepare in the way that I did. After all, I had scheduled births with both of my boys and those eve's before they were born, I'm sure that I found myself scurrying around taking care of those final details. I had a perfectly appointed nursery and had been given shower after shower after shower. Lots of little clothes hung on lots of little hangers and my Mom and NaNa had washed everything in Dreft. All of the diapers were stacked perfectly and essentials like wipes were placed exactly at arms length. My bags were packed with all of the necessities and always included brand new gowns/pj's for me (NaNa always stressed over us having new gowns when we were going into the hospital) and just the right "going home" outfit for the new baby.

Mary, who I understand was probably only 14-16 years old at the time of Jesus' birth, definitely didn't have new gowns. In fact, in the days before the birth of this Christ child, she had had to make her way from her hometown of Nazareth to the town of Bethlehem where she (and others) had been ordered to participate in a census. Due to the large numbers of people who had to report to Bethlehem, all of the rooms were taken. Mary and Joseph had travelled for three days and then found themselves sleeping in a stable that had been offered by an innkeeper who didn't have anything better available for them. It was there, in that stable, that Mary gave birth to our Savior - mine and yours - Jesus Christ. The baby who was born of a virgin birth and sent to save us from our sins and ourselves.

As the song states, I wonder, did she know? How much did she understand about God's plan for her little boy? Did she know that he would heal the blind, make the lame to walk and raise Lazarus from the grave? Did she know that he would walk on water and then later suffer a death on the cross; one that she would live to see? She obviously trusted God enough to know that whatever He had planned was bigger than anything she could imagine.

Mary was right.

God is sovereign. He sent his one and only son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. And he did just that....while we were still sinners. Not when we shaped up. Not when we promised to do better. Not when we said, "pplleeaassee, I'll never do it again."

Tomorrow, we celebrate the birth of this sweet baby. I encourage you, if you do not know him, it is not too late. There is no time like the present. Get to know him. In fact, make him your very best friend. Mary trusted. So should we.


Luke 1:45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"