What Mary said: “The Miracle”

Much about Mary, the mother of Jesus, remains a mystery because the Bible only gives glimpses into who she was, and yet Mary was God’s choice to give birth to His Son. What a powerful testimony that is right there! Knowing how God loves to use the “…the foolish things of the world to confound the wise [and] the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty,” (1 Corinthians 1:27) it’s safe to assume Mary was… no one special and yet she was called “blessed among women” and “highly favored” because God sees in us what mankind does not. Remember David, the “least” of his brothers? Remember Gideon, the coward? Remember Moses with the speech impediment? Remember Saul of Tarsus, the murderer? God calls us to what He knows we can do, not what we feel like we are capable or strong enough to do.

As we continue this series on Mary, the mother of Jesus the Messiah, it’s important to remember that above everything else Mary was, she was willing. Yes, she had questions. Yes, she had fear. Yes, she was troubled. Luke 1 notes all of these issues and there’s nothing wrong with that, but they didn’t stop her from accepting the task God had asked of her! One of my favorite quotes was spoken by the revivalist preacher D.L. Moody, who was part of the lineage of faith that led to the salvation of Billy Graham. He said this: “The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him.”

Now, here’s what Mary said: “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

The first known miracle that Jesus worked, according to the Bible, was at a wedding. (John 2:1-10) Jesus’ mother, Mary, was there and she had informed Him about a relatively minor need. Now, while it may not have seemed like the kind of miracle that was up there with healing lepers or walking on water, and even though Jesus had not yet entered into His public ministry, He still took care of this seemingly small need. Mary didn’t even have to ask for Jesus’ help! She simply told Him of the problem and then in faith she told the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” She had full confidence He’s come through. Oh how much we all struggle at times with knowing Jesus will work a miracle with enough confidence to tell everyone else before it happens!!

God calls us to what He knows we can do, not what we feel like we are capable or strong enough to do.

Mary was confident that Jesus would take care of the need she had brought to Him. In fact, she was so confident that she commanded everyone else to get ready to receive it! If you want to be part of the miracle, you must stop wasting time bemoaning everything you no longer have and get make preparations to receive that miracle. Stop fretting about what has run out and stop wondering how Jesus will fix it. “Whatever He says to you, do it.” That advice was powerful and profound because Mary had already had this experience in her faith. Mary had given birth to a miracle and the memory of God’s power in her life was the foundation for the faith to see more and more miracles in her life. “For with God nothing will be impossible,” the angel told her. (Luke 1:37) Speak faith. God has done miracles for you – never let yourself forget that. Use those memories to building a foundation of faith in your next season of need. Whatever God is going to do, if you want to be part of it, prepare yourself and “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Thought for today

“Set up road marks, place guideposts. Set your heart toward the highway, even the way by which you went.” (Jeremiah 31:21) If Mary had allowed herself to forget what God had done in her and through her, she would never, ever have had the strength to watch her boy die on the cross. Plenty of women had seen their criminal sons die for their crimes via crucifixion, so what was different? She knew Jesus was innocent. But there’s more! Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the world hung on a cross bleeding and suffering while Mary had to force herself to remember God’s promises of what the Messiah would do. She had to see His blood run and remember that it wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning. She had to hear her Son cry out in despair as He hung in agony and she had to force herself to remember the words of the angel before He was even born.

If you don’t set milestones, memory markers, in your heart and mind of the things God has done, you’ll falter and fail in your faith when it looks like the promises He made to you are bleeding and screaming and dying right in front of your eyes. EVERY PROMISE GOD HAS EVER MADE IS TRUE. God will always perform His will – whether or not you choose to be part of that plan. “Whatever He says to you, do it.” HOLD STEADY! Mary’s faith in God never failed, and He never failed her. “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a completion to those things which were told her by the Lord.” (Luke 1:45)

Amen!

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