Mother's Day Devotional | Day 2: Assurance in Faith
A Great and Godly Gift
Women and Mothers
Beauty is Faith, Day 2
“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” - (Acts 1:14)
“As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” - (Luke 11:27-28)
I’m not in the proper place of judgment to say whether Mary, Jesus’ mom, was the greatest mom ever. I can say, however, that she had a really important job, not just as a mom, but mom to the incarnated Son of God. Sometimes, it helps to find that you’re not alone--that someone else has been where you’re at and they understand. I’d like to take today to look at just a few things about Mary, Mother of Jesus, in the Bible and encourage you moms.
Ever feel unprepared and underqualified to be a good mom? Mary was likely around the age of thirteen when God sent an angel to tell her she was going to be a mom--ready or not. God didn’t place zygote-Jesus in the womb of a wiser, older, more experienced woman...a woman who’d already been through it and read every book in the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” series. Nope. He gave Jesus to a young, unmarried girl, bewildered but nervously honored by God’s choice. In her anxiety and doubt, she praised the Lord and placed her trust in him. You can read more about this in Luke 1:26-38
Ever make a judgment call, find out your wrong, and feel like a huge failure? Early in Jesus’ ministry, Mary went with her other sons (likely James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon) to snatch Jesus up and take him home (Mark, chapter three). They thought he was crazy. They wanted him to stop doing miracles and teaching that he was the Messiah. Clearly, Mary was on the wrong side of what was going on. Nevertheless, Jesus doesn’t “fire” her from being his mom. One of Jesus’ final acts, dying on the cross, was to make sure someone would be around to care for his mom. He charges the Apostle John with adopting his mom (John 19). Mary knows that God doesn’t expect her to get everything right as a mom--she just needs to trust him, keep learning, and keep plugging away...doing her best as a mom.
Ever worry God regrets giving kids to you? Think of the pressure on Mary. She knows how you feel. With our present knowledge of Jesus that Mary might not have fully understood, we have to wonder what she went through when she was tempted to (or actually did!) spank six-year-old Jesus or ground twelve-year-old Jesus (for wandering off to the temple and giving her a heart attack!). We have to accept that she didn’t get everything right. When Jesus was twelve, she was probably only around twenty-four! God never regretted giving Jesus to Mary. He knew he was giving his Son to a sinner for earthly care. He loved Mary and honored her.
Ever feel like your youth and beauty is the cost of raising kids? I have no idea of the toll that ancient Judean life had on Mary’s looks, to say nothing at all of raising up to five boys and possibly a daughter or two. We don’t have any pictures of what Mary looked like. Did God give Jesus a mom who stayed miraculously “Pinterest-pretty” in the midst of motherhood? Probably not. But we know, because of passages like Acts 1:14 and Luke 11:27-28, the following truths:
- That Mary was a believer and follower of Jesus, forgiven of sins and now cherished by God--think of how a good father feels about his daughter: beautiful, beloved, approved of.
- That Jesus says those who believe the Word of God (the gospel, specifically) are blessed. Mary, as a believing daughter of God is blessed--seen as beautiful and precious and God makes his people happy (which is part of what “blessed” means)! Between these texts and a ton of Proverbs, God’s view of beauty isn’t related to your looks--it’s found in faith in him, receiving happiness from him.. So, as you compare your early morning or late night haggardness to the glory of your youthly beauty (pre-kids!), I want you to know that the most important judge on the topic of beauty says you’re glorious for your faith in Him!