The Carols of the King - Pt 6

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:35-38 ESV).

Today we look at a contemporary favorite, “Mary Did You Know.” It was originally written by Mark Lowry as part of a Christmas musical. When writing the music he talked with his mother about Mary and how she must have felt. His mother said, “‘If anyone on earth knew for sure that Jesus was virgin born - Mary knew!” That inspiration then launched him to write this wonderful carol. Pentatonix sings it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE. This touching song has been played for well over three decades during the Christmas season. The lyrics are beautifully written and contain powerful phrases like, “Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand…” and, “This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you.” It’s a stirring line of questions asked by the songwriter that cause listeners to stand in amazement at the power of our God. We really don’t know much about Mary except that she was a virgin and probably in her early teens. According to our reading today, we know that she was “highly favored” and that “the Lord was with her.” Even without a stunning resume, God used her. Sweet, little Mary who kept to herself and wasn’t a big “playmaker” was invited by the Creator of the universe to change the world. Many think the reason He chose her was because of her willingness. Upon hearing God’s plan for her life, Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” (Luke 1:38) Mary simply said yes to her Lord with no conditions whatsoever. I am always challenged by the examination of where I am in my life today. I wonder how much have I really “surrendered.” This song ought to recall the great sacrifice Mary made. It ought to remind us that our lives are not our own and that you’ve been “brought with a price.” We have a Messiah. His name is Jesus. He is the Savior of the world. He walked on water without a single bit of effort. He came and died to make us new. He gave sight to a blind man with some dirt and saliva. He woke up from a deep sleep and calmed a raging storm with his human hand. He fed over 5,000 people with a tiny bit of bread and fish. He conquered death in his resurrection. He does the miraculous. What miracle is he planning for you today? Celebrate Him!