Project Description

2015/03

A Word To Women

“Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also.”
(Luke 2:35)

Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus, was a remarkable woman. Her exaltation by the Roman Catholic Church may lie behind our failure to recognise the godly character of Mary. But she is worthy of our attention and there is much in her life that we would do well to imitate.

Mary was an ordinary Jewish girl, engaged to a carpenter called Joseph. She was chosen by the Lord to be the vessel that would enable the incarnation of the Son of God. While not understanding how such a thing could be, she accepted the Lord’s will, saying “be it unto me according to thy word”.
In accepting God’s will for her life, Mary exposed herself to much heartache and yet also a great reward. Elisabeth rightly deemed Mary ‘blessed among women’, and the mother ‘of my Lord’. Mary did not regard herself as sinless, but rejoiced in ‘God my Saviour’. When the wise men came with gifts to the infant Jesus, it was Him they worshipped and not Mary.

Mary, then, was a woman with feelings just like us. What joys she experienced watching the child Jesus grow “in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man”. However Mary had to remember that He was no ordinary child and even at twelve years old, He was working to fulfil His Heavenly Father’s will. Mary humbly submitted to Christ throughout her life.  At the wedding at Cana, she told the servants, “Whatsoever He (Jesus) saith unto you, do it.”  Do we have the same meek and submissive spirit? Are we prepared for the will of God, whatever the cost?

Mary sat under the preaching of Christ often.  She also accepted His gentle rebuke when she tried to gain privilege with Him. It would have been easy for her to think that she deserved a greater share of Christ’s attention. But in Christ there is, ‘neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.’ Let us guard against self-exaltation.

The most difficult time in Mary’s life was at the cross. Mary was told by Simeon, when she brought the infant Christ to the temple, that a sword would pierce her heart. Simeon prophesied about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. We can only wonder how much Mary understood of how Christ would give Himself as an offering to appease Divine justice. We read of her keeping ‘these sayings in her heart.’ In the midst of trials we may feel overwhelmed, but looking back we see the hand of God at work.

Mary did not forsake her son and Saviour. She was among the women who came to witness the crucifixion. How helpless and broken hearted she must have felt!  The horror and cruelty of crucifixion was the sword that pierced Mary’s soul. It is impossible to fathom the suffering of Jesus on the cross, and the cry from Mary’s heart could have been, ‘Why?’ Life can bring us perplexing and painful experiences, but remember, God is always in control. Without the cross there would have been no salvation for Mary or for us.

Our final glimpse of Mary finds her with the disciples in the upper room. Mary was one of those who met ‘with one accord in prayer and supplication.’ All the hard things have been made plain and she is content to join with her fellow believers, praying for the power of the Holy Spirit to descend and Christ’s kingdom to be extended. She is truly an example to us all!

Olive Maxwell.