Beautiful Word: Your Daily Devotion

Daily Scriptural Insights, Curated by the Editors of CT | [View online]( [ChristianityToday.org]( [Donate]( [Beautiful Word Newsletter]( Wednesday, August 09, 2017 Mary: A Courageous Mother [Jo Saxton]([Jo Saxton]( | [Bio][Bio]( [@josaxton][@josaxton]([Facebook][Facebook]( Today’s Verse “Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.’ And then the angel left her.” Luke 1:38 It’s amazing to think that Mary would have been in her teens when she received the news from Gabriel that she would carry the Messiah. It’s even more significant when we realize that this call had the potential to ruin her standing in the community, break her engagement, and destroy her family. Still, any pain and confusion she experienced here would only be the tip of the sword that would pierce her own heart and soul in the years to come. Nonetheless, her song of praise reflecting Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel suggests a depth and a maturity in her relationship with God. Mary nurtures Jesus as any good mother would, but from time to time is confronted with the reality that she has to let him go as he becomes all that he is meant to be. And the letting go will take her all the way to the sheer agony of the cross, where she watches helplessly as her firstborn son is crucified. The sword has pierced her soul and torn her in two. Yet this is not the end of Mary’s story. We find a postscript in Acts 1:14, where we see Mary as part of the new church community, praying and waiting to receive the promised Holy Spirit. Traditions suggest she ultimately ended up in Ephesus with John, serving the church there. We have so much to learn from Mary at every stage of her life. There’s the teenager who embraces her unique calling with a song of praise in the face of staggering cost. There’s the fretting mother as Jesus grows older, attempting to interfere and fix things. There’s the cross, where the dream dies. Then finally Mary’s new life and role in the early church. Mary’s example shows us that life can often lead us into uncharted territory. Reflect: Read about Mary in Luke 1:26–56; 2:1–52. Imagine the various challenges and emotions Mary faced as the mother of Jesus. How does her example inspire you? Pray: Consider Mary’s example of trust and obedience to God as you pray about challenges in your own life. [Jo Saxton]( is the author of [More Than Enchanting: Breaking Through Barriers to Influence Your World](. Taken from More Than Enchanting by Jo Saxton. Copyright Second Edition (c) 2016 by Jo Saxton. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426. [www.ivpress.com](. [Read devotions online]( | [Share with a friend](mailto:&subject=Christianity Today Women: Mary: A Courageous Mother&body= More for Women [When Your Spouse Is Mentally Ill]( [When Your Spouse Is Mentally Ill]( My husband's schizoaffective disorder devastated our family. Here's what I've learned in the years since he was first diagnosed. Name Withheld [Young, Female, and Pro-Trump]( [Young, Female, and Pro-Trump]( How white evangelical millennials are defying political predictions. Kate Shellnutt Follow Us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [RSS]( [Subscribe to this newsletter]( In the Current Issue [July/August]( [How to Find Hope in the Humanless Economy]( [Immigrants Are Reshaping American Missions]([Subscriber access only] [How God Sent His Word to An Iraqi Interpreter]( [View Full Issue]( [Subscribe Now]( Christian Bible Studies [Women Leaders Bible Study Bundle]( ) Serve God and lead others out of your calling. by Alexandra Clair Stancil, Anne Peterson, Anita Carman, and more [Beautiful Word]( Delivered via email to subscribers daily. [Subscribe]( | [Email Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Advertise]( | [Subscribe to CT]( You are currently subscribed as: {EMAIL} Copyright ©2017 [ChristianityToday.org]( Christianity Today, 465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved.