Changi Chapel

Of all the women in history, God chose Mary to set His peculiar favor on her, and gave all moms a model to study closely.

A Personal Mother…

Mary was no womb-for-hire. She was not a surrogate mother God used, paid off, and sent away. Mary was a real mother to her son, Jesus. In her very real pregnancy she experienced a real labor and a real delivery. She delivered him in the same manner that mothers have been delivering babies since Eve.

And Mary nursed Jesus at her breast with real colostrum until her milk came in. And when her milk came in, she probably nursed him for close to two years, as was the custom in those days.

Mary was a personal mother to Jesus. All the hugs, kisses, and love we pour on our children — Mary must have done the same with Jesus.

A Pondering Mother…

Many times in the Gospels we read about Mary “observing” and “pondering" (Luke 2:19). These are marks of a deep and thoughtful woman. Although Mary was young and poor, she was by no means uneducated. She knew her Scriptures.

And she often wondered and pondered about every single word she heard from angel Gabriel, the Wise Men, the aged Simon, Anna the prophetess, the shocked shepherds and all the other sources God used to usher in the coming of the baby Jesus – the promised Messiah.

A Submissive Mother….

For me, Mary has been the prime example of a submissive woman. Mary’s submission has always struck me as a contented yielding — not servility. This kind of submission is neither slavish nor degrading.

Even when Mary knew that becoming pregnant prior to wedlock meant stoning by death, she yet willingly submitted to Gabriel’s announcement. This is the contented yielding of a faith-filled young woman whose trust in God was deep and unshakeable.

As a wife and mother, is your life one of "contented yielding" or contentious independence?

Luma Simms
Author/Bible Teacher/Mother of 3 girls and 2 boys

© Luma Simms   Excerpted, abridged and adapted from her recent blog. You can read the full article at www.lumasimms.com

Your comments, thoughts or suggestions are welcome. The body text is by the author, the header and the words in italics are mine – John B. Samuel