We learned about Mary tonight during family home evening. Maybe it's because I'm a mother that I love to read and ponder about Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. I'm fascinated by this woman who, at such a young age, was visited by an angel and given the responsibility of being a mother to the son of God. As I was reading in Luke yesterday I was struck by a few verses. In Luke 1:46 it starts, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hatch rejoiced in God my Savior. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things and holy is his name." I'm most certainly not a scholar on what Luke meant by these verses, but it sounded to me like Mary was bearing her testimony. I love that we have this testimony of hers in our scriptures to draw strength from.
I took a minute to tell my kids how Mary pondered after the birth of the Savior. In Luke it tells of Christ's birth and then follows with all the visitors that came. Angels proclaimed the birth to the shepherds, the shepherds came and worshipped the new babe and then went abroad sharing the good news. After this is when it says, "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." This time when I read this verse I immediately thought of the births of each of my children. It seems after a new baby is born you are visited by scores of people. The happy grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and, of course, any siblings. With each one of my children, after all the visitors went home and Jared left the hospital for the night, I would sit in the hospital and hold my newest little bundle. I would marvel at all their little fingers and toes, and stare at their sweet little faces and kiss their little heads. I remember being so grateful that they had arrived safely, as it seemed most of my deliveries were cursed with some difficulty or another. I remember thinking how close they were to heaven. They had just left the presence of Heavenly Father, and I always wondered if they could still see beyond the veil.
I can't help but wonder if Mary had some of those same thoughts. As she held her new son, the son of God, did she marvel at the miracle He was? Did she cuddle him and kiss his little head and thank a loving Heavenly Father that he had arrived safely. I wonder if she knew what he would ultimately do for all of us. Did she know He would give his life so that others might live? I'm sure she knew of His divine mission and possibly held him a little closer and a little tighter, knowing his would not be an easy road.
How grateful I am for the example of Mary, a loving and devoted mother and daughter of God. She was a most righteous woman and a powerful example of good. We finished our family night by pondering and each of us sharing. If we had been given the opportunity to be present the night of Jesus Christ's birth, who would we have wanted to be and why? The children's answers vary every year. I love to hear who they would choose. I feel like it's a tiny little insight into who they are and what they have become across the year. It puts a smile on my face and fills my heart with warmth and gladness. I am truly blessed to be a mother, the greatest job in the world.
**Picture She Shall Bring Forth A Son, by Liz Lemon Swindle**
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