Mary—Resolute in Turmoil: Isaiah 7: 10-16; Luke 1: 26-38
Mary is, perhaps, one of the most unlikely characters in the Christmas story. I think over the years Mary has become somewhat misunderstood in who she is and how she reacts to this calling from God. Many sermons, illustrations, and interpretations portray Mary as a meek and mild almost pawn in the whole story. But what we see in Luke’s account of the angel’s visit is a young, strong, resolute woman whose strength is almost superhuman and whose faith is unparalleled. She, after all, is about to become the mother of Christ, the son of God, born to love and redeem the world.
Many instances where we see women in the Bible, they are engaged in some kind of domestic act, or in something that would have been considered “appropriate” for women in this time. Rachel in the Old Testament is drawing water from a well. Bathsheba is taking a bath. Martha fusses about the kitchen. Sarah prepares meals and dutifully follows Abraham on his journeys. But here, Mary is traveling, risking her very life and happiness to follow God in a mighty and powerful way. Mary is a powerful and resolute pillar of faith in the New Testament, and every bit as powerful as the great figures of the Old Testament.
She is described in the prophecies of Isaiah: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).” This was to be the ultimate sign to the Israelites. At this point in the book of Isaiah, the kingdom of Israel had split into Israel and Judah (the North and South kingdoms). Israel had turned away from God and allied themselves with Syria in an effort to destroy Judah, the kingdom which was still faithful. The sign of Mary, of Immanuel, is a reminder that one day God would bring ultimate redemption for the people even as things were seemingly crumbling around them.
We hear those same prophetic words echoed in the lesson about Mary today. Mary was engaged, but unwed at the time the angel visited her. There’s no indication of age; however, in Hebrew tradition, a female could be betrothed, or given in marriage, anywhere from the ages of 12 to 16. To us, that may seem young, but you have to remember the average life expectancy was around 40.
When the angel comes in, Mary is hailed as being filled with grace and having found favor with God. We see a young woman who is strong and resolute. She challenges the angel asking how can all this happen since she is unmarried. And then we see her statement of faith and her resolve to follow God: “I am the Lord’s servant. may everything you have said about me come true.” Now here’s a real challenge—this is not some guard bringing a decree. Gabriel is a messenger not power play. He is calling to Mary, asking her to follow God,. God will call us to follow, but ultimately that choice to obey is ours. Mary agrees at the end. She chooses to obey.
What, then, do we take from this? When we are called to follow God, we should have the same resolve, the same fortitude as Mary. She asked questions, she challenged the angel on how things could happen, and ultimately she made the decision to follow and obey God’s calling. What does Mary get in exchange for this resolve? She has peace. Initially, we see Mary worried and afraid. I think anyone would be worried if an angel showed up in their home. Gideon, Jonah, Jacob, the shepherds, and even Abraham were all startled by the sudden presence of an angel in their midst.
But as the angel tells her of God’s calling, of her powerful place in history, she becomes strong, resolute, and at peace with what her role in history will be. We, too, can be at peace when we resolve to follow God. It reminds me of the song “Safe in the Arms of Jesus” by Fanny Crosby. The third verse says this: “Jesus, my heart’s dear refuge, Jesus has died for me; firm on the Rock of Ages ever my trust shall be. Here let me wait with patience, wait till the night is o’er; wait till I see the morning break on the golden shore.”
Mary had to face tremendous trials in her journey. Being an unwed, pregnant woman in that day and time could earn a woman a death sentence. The same could have cost her all of her family, her marriage to Joseph, everything she had in life. But she was resolute. Mary had to journey to Bethlehem in what was likely the 8th or 9th month of her pregnancy. Childbirth was dangerous in those days, period. But imagine just how grueling that trip would be on foot or on a donkey 90 miles from Galilee to Bethlehem. Some of the way was flat but much of it is hill country. Both the terrain and way was dangerous with falling on a hill or even nefarious people trying to do them harm. But Mary was resolute.
Mary had to endure knowing that she was raising the Son of God, and likely, she also understood that her son would one day die. The knowledge of who her baby was and what he had to do must have weighed heavy on her mind and on her spirit, especially with a mother’s desire to protect. But Mary remained resolute. And because she was resolved to follow God’s call in her life, she was at peace. In her own words, “May everything you have said about me come true. I am the Lord’s servant.” Such faith! Such strength.
In our own lives, there will come times when we are challenged, when we must face a treacherous road or a difficult calling. There will be trials and struggles that we must face. I challenge you, with a bit of a tease, to fight like a woman—to fight like Mary, with resolve, with strength, filled with God’s grace and power.
The journey may be long and the road may be dangerous, but we never journey alone. Mary never journeyed alone. The same God with whom she found favor was with her in her room as she spoke her faith, was with her as she faced the fallout of her call to follow, was with her as she journeyed to Bethlehem, and was with her in the stable as she gave birth to God’s love in human form. And because of that holy presence, Mary had peace. May we have the same resolve to say like Mary, “Be it unto [us] according to Thy word.”