What Did Mary Feel?

As we approach Christmas, we tend to think of the presents, family, rushing around for the right holiday gift, and most importantly, the birth of our Lord. Reading the first three chapters of the Gospel of Luke, we should take a moment and think about what Mary may have felt during this whole experience, the birth of Jesus.

Mary, being a very young lady, was engaged to be married to Joseph.   I’m sure it was with great anticipation that this virgin girl looked forward to her wedding, and her life with Joseph. Joyful! Then she was visited by an angel from the Lord who told her she was pregnant. How could that be? Mary was still a virgin. Confusion!   You talk about mixed emotions.

When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant he had decided not to marry her until an angel spoke to him and explained what was happening. I’m sure Mary also had many mixed emotions. Would she do what God wanted and risk losing Joseph, or find a way to make the problem go away? Fearful! When the time for her to give birth was near, Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem to pay their taxes.

Riding a donkey when she was nine months pregnant could not have been a pleasant experience. Traveling all that way only to find that there was no hotel room available would be discouraging to any woman in her situation...then to give birth in a stable with the smell of animals, hay and manure!

Ladies,  stop and think how you would feel if you had to experience the same thing Mary did above?

She must have felt many emotions. Exhaustion! Anger! Pain! Relief! But once she looked into her baby’s eyes, I’m sure Mary felt Peace! Joy! Love! What a journey! Christ did not come at a convenient time for anyone, but He did come at just the right time.

The shepherds knew it was the right time. The wise men knew it was the right time. Mary and Joseph knew it was the right time. Most importantly, God knew it was the right time.

This Christmas think about how, what seemed like the wrong time for Mary and Joseph, was the right time for you and me.

Ponder how you would feel in this situation and then look at the GREAT results of an eternal relationship with the Creator!