Honoring The Blessed Virgin Mary
Hi ladies it's me again and happy Tuesday! I hope and pray that each of you ladies and your families are doing well. I'm happy to present another blog called "Honoring The Blessed Virgin Mary". Let me also be clear about one thing. I've been a Protestant Christian for the past twenty years and I know it gets "controversial" honor the Virgin Mary. I think part of the problem has been because of the Catholic Church having the philosophy of worshipping and praying to Mary (or other saints and angels) something I've never done nor ever will do plain and simple! Some think that the Virgin Mary was sinless, mediator between God and man, she's an "icon", or perpetual virgin. (Side note perpetual virgin means a "false teaching" that the Virgin Mary never had any other children after Jesus our Lord and Savior was born!) Scripture doesn't support any of these claims about the Virgin Mary and felt led by the Spirit "to clear up" these myths about the Virgin Mary. What does Scripture actually say about her? Well we can read her story in the gospel of Luke 1 after the Angel Gabriel appeared to the priest Zechariah and while Elizabeth was six months pregnant with Baby John, (who later became John the Baptist) Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and shared the good news with her. Remember that the Virgin Mary was likely a farm girl, newly engaged to Joseph the Carpenter, and likely was a teenager (Many scholars and theologians believe that the Virgin Mary was between 13-16 years old by then) when the angel appeared. Of course the angel told her she'll conceive, bare a Son, and to name Him Jesus. He told her that Christ will gain a kingdom that will last forever and I can only imagine the thoughts going through Mary's head. First of all I'm sure she was surprised she was chosen by the Lord to bare His Son. Secondly I'm sure there were other women and other virgins God could have chosen. Thirdly I'm sure Mary wondered what her family and Joseph was going to think about that. Plus she wondered how she could get pregnant since she's had no sexual relations! But the angel told her the Spirit of the Lord would come upon her and overshadow her and the Baby would be called the Son of God! Then Mary said yes and it was in that moment that Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost! That also is where the doctrine of Christ being both God and man when Mary said yes! Ladies Mary said yes to God despite the obstacles she had to face and despite the future being unknown. Mary had no idea when she said yes that Joseph the Carpenter and her fiance nearly broke off the engagement, (see Matthew 1:18-19) later she and Joseph had stay in a stable because there was no room in the inn. (See Luke 2:7) She and Joseph later had to leave Bethlehem to escape Herod the Great (see Matthew 2:14) she and Joseph lost Jesus for three days when He was twelve years old (see Luke 2:48) when in reality Jesus abided in His Father God's house! Mary later ultimately when Jesus was 33 years old got to witness Him be crucified on the cross of Calvary for our sins and I can only imagine how much she mourned over Him. (Side note I'm sure when Jesus rose from the dead I'm sure He gave Mary His mom a big hug reassuring her that all is well because He paid the price for man's sins.) Mary had a lot of challenges she had to endure when she said yes but I'm glad she did it anyway. (I think about the Christmas carol "Mary Did You know" wondering if Mary knew what blessings awaited her about concerning her Son and the Messiah.) Ladies what's something that the Lord laid on your heart this Christmas that you haven't done yet but you're hesitant to do so? Is it to tell someone about Jesus, help the needy, reconcile a relationship, cut off a relationship, comfort the hurting etc? Are you worried about saying yes because of the cost? I don't mean financial cost but a cost of your reputation, love, or time doing so? I want you ladies to know that Mary said yes period despite not knowing the future. We don't know what the future holds but we know the One who holds the future. I want you ladies to think about Mary's example this Christmas time and let that motivate you to say yes to God regardless of the outcome and regardless of others opinions! The Virgin Mary has always been one of my favorite women in the Bible for that reason alone among other reasons! (I have other women in the Bible I admire to like Queen Esther, Deborah, Ruth, Mary Magdalene, Leah, and Abigail too.) She's one person from the Bible I can't wait to meet in heaven someday! That's what I wanted to share with you ladies. Blessings to each of you ladies, have a blessed week, and Merry Christmas.










