Mary- The Quintessential Birthmom

I've written this post several times. No joke: there are 3 posts waiting to be edited and they all have the same title. Mary gets to me. I've never given her much thought. She's the only woman in the Bible that I haven't studied. I'm not sure why but this Christmas she's been on my mind but I've realized that without this precious woman, the entire New Testament, the ENTIRE second half of the Bible wouldn't exist. So I've been wondering why I haven't given her more thought. I'm disappointed in myself.

In all of my recent reading on Mary, Jesus' Mom, I'm realizing that she is the quintessential birthmom. Perfect. To the 'T'.

What are the facts?

Mary finds out that she's pregnant

She's carrying the Son of God

His name will be "Jesus"

What does this mean for this young, soon-to-be married woman and now, Mom?

Her child is not her own

His destiny, she has little to no control over

She will love Him like she loves no other

She will sacrifice her own perfect plans so that His perfect plan can come to fruition

She will love Him regardless of those who deny Him... or her

She will ache for Him when He is gone

She will cry, she will hurt, she will pray...

and she will never stop.

Mary's love for her child is unconditional. She sacrificed her social status, her reputation, her relationships, her future, and her own plans for a child whom she knew from day 1 would not fully belong to her. She carried Him. She HAD Him. She loved Him... 

And then she lost Him.

I've had the honor over the past few years to have numerous personal relationships with many precious, beautiful birthmoms. One of them is my daughter's first Mom. I've never made the connection before but in the most recent relationship with a sweet birthmom, I was floored by the similarities I saw between her thoughts, feelings, and circumstances, and those of Mary. 

I am a Mom because of a woman just like Mary. A woman who only wanted what was best for her child but who knew, from day 1, that this precious, innocent child was not hers forever. She sacrificed her own plans for the life of this child. I love my daughter with everything that is in me. I will never take her for granted. I will love her unconditionally. But I'm still not sure that I will ever understand the sacrificing, unconditional love of a birthmom. 

A love like Mary's.


** Would you like to learn more about Mary with me? I've been reading the Book of Luke :-) **

I think Joseph deserves a closer look, too...