Women of the Bible - Mary Mother of Jesus

I started last week with a series of posts on women in the Bible.  If you missed the post about the woman who washed Jesus' feet, go check out her powerful story here!  If you have ever been curious about the significance of women in the Bible, join with me every Friday for a look at who these women are!

Mary

I couldn't wait much longer to share with you the story of Mary, Jesus' mother.  I would imagine everyone knows who Mary is - even those who aren't super familiar with the Bible.  She was visited by an angel when she was just a teenager.  He told her that the Lord was with her and that she was highly favored by him.  It says next that she was greatly troubled.  She had no idea what was going on!  Why in the world was she being visited by this being?  He told her not to be afraid, that she would conceive and give birth to a child who would be the son of God, who would be great and would go on to reign as King forever.  Holy moly!  This was a young woman who was engaged to be married to Joseph.  I can't imagine the questions and the fears that she experienced at that time.  It says that she questioned the angel about how this could be.  She told him that she was a virgin.  He told her that the child would be from the Holy Spirit, that the power of God would rest on her.  He also promised that her elderly relative Elizabeth, who had been unable to conceive, would be pregnant as well.  In Luke 1:37, the angel says, "For no word from God will ever fail."  Her next response in Luke 1:38, "I am the Lord's servant, may your word to me be fulfilled."

What incredible faith and courage she had.  She was about to experience something miraculous.  No doubt she had so many fears about what she had just learned, but she trusted enough in the Lord to accept his words and her destiny.

Throughout the story of Jesus in the New Testament, we continue to see the character of Mary.  When you have a moment, look up Luke 1:46-55, where she worships God for what he is doing in her... this passage is called Mary's Song.

John 2 tells the story of the wedding where Jesus turns water into wine.  Here in verse 5 she says to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."  Mary believes in her son's power.

Mary was also a woman of faith who supported her son in prayer.  One example of this is found in Acts 1:14, where Mary joined together constantly in prayer with the apostles, Jesus' brothers and other women.

I love the example of Mary!  We get to see her as a girl who matures into a woman and follows God faithfully through her journey.