Biblical Lessons From Stories of PregnancySampel

Mary and the promised one

Luke opens his gospel with two women and two pregnancies. The stories of Mary and Elizabeth are tied together as their relationship blossoms, and their bodies share the bearing of children. Hagar’s annunciation back in Genesis 16 was the first birth announcement in the Bible. Mary’s here in Luke 1 is the last. It is the climax of a series of similar announcements and is the peak of the trajectory towards which all the others were heading.

As Luke places these two stories side-by-side, their similarities are more evident, and their differences more significant. Luke identifies Elizabeth as a righteous but childless old woman and Mary as a young woman eligible to be married. Mary’s words explicitly confirm her status as a virgin as she questions the logistics of the angel’s announcement. These women have physical hurdles to childbearing, which God transforms, subsequently altering the course of both women’s lives and their status in society.

Mary’s acceptance and obedience to God’s will are astonishing. This young woman not only believes but submits herself, her plans, and her future life to God’s purposes. In Mary’s opening line, she questions the practicalities of God's plan, though not the truth, given she’s a virgin. Then, she shifts to identify herself as ‘the servant of the Lord,’ willingly accepting the dangerous task before her. She risks her life through not only the course of pregnancy and childbirth but also the social implications of being an unmarried mother.

The announcement of Mary’s pregnancy is also the promise of Christ’s birth. The angel’s words confirm that this child will be the Son of God, Jesus, the Saviour of the world. Mary obediently accepts the task before her as God takes on flesh in her womb. This transformational moment sits at the heart of God’s plan to save humanity.

Transformational moments (albeit less cosmically significant ones) also happen in our everyday lives. In the potential monotony of work, family life, or retirement, there are moments when God transforms how we see ourselves, the tasks He has set before us, and our part in His salvation story. Like Mary, we are called to humble ourselves and obediently submit to God’s plans for our lives, even if they are dangerous, scary, or seemingly impossible. As you face what comes next, where might God be transforming you?

Action

Where is God working in your life this week? How is God preparing you for what lies ahead?

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This devotional journey was originally published in our Word for the Week blog series.

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