By Brenda Groves
The Post Newspaper Contributing Writer
One of my favorite Christmas songs is, “Mary Did You Know.”
What a wonderful perspective from the women chosen by God to carry His Son, to give birth to the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, and it all began with … a seed.
I wrote this column several years ago but it has become a tradition to rerun this message that blessed me so much the first time I heard it. So even if you have read this before please do so again and share it with your family and friends because it is by the seed of His spoken Word that we can celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Savior.
Because it is the spoken word of God which proclaimed the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I grew up in a Christian atmosphere, our family believed in God and we attended church. I believed that the Bible is Holy and sacred and to be respected because this was instilled in me from childhood.
I kept a copy by my nightstand for most of my life even though I seldom read it.
And later when I called upon Jesus by faith and received salvation,(spiritually quickened- made alive), then the word of God was opened up to me because I was now a born again child of God through His Son. (Able now to “worship Him in Spirit and in truth.”)
But if anyone had asked me why I believed in the virgin birth of Christ I would not have known how to answer them.
Perhaps you couldn’t either. Maybe you are like me, and it has never been explained to you. Or you have never wondered about this.
Well, it is so simple you will have to try hard to miss it.
Every life begins with a seed.
And starting with what we know about how babies get here, there has to be a seed planted in the mother’s womb. And life begins at the moment of conception. The baby develops and grows over a period of time, and then he or she is born.
So with Mary, a virgin, when the angel Gabriel appeared to her (Luke Chpt. 1) he began to prophesy about the coming of the Lord.
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David … ”
Now this might sound like the angel is commanding Mary to submit to God’s plan, but that’s not what he’s doing. The angel Gabriel is speaking out things “that are not yet, as though they are.” Speaking by faith which is “the substance of things hoped for and the EVIDENCE OF THINGS UNSEEN.”
Just like when God SPOKE the world into existence when He created the heavens and the earth.
Mary questions how this will come about because she is a virgin, and the angel answers her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Now, stop here for a minute and look at something. The Lord will not force His will upon any of us. We have been given free will to either accept or reject His word, presence and will for our lives while we walk upon this earth.
So Mary has just been offered a proposal to be a vessel, to allow God to use her body and host His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Christ meaning the “Anointed One.”)
And in Luke 1:38 Mary gives her consent to this union but looks closely at her reply.
“Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your WORD.’ And the angel departed from her.”
Now, read another verse from the book of John.
“And the WORD became FLESH and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
The WORD spoken to Mary was the “seed” and when she believed and agreed/received the Word/prophecy, THAT was the moment of conception. (Matt.. 18:19)
The Seed (word of God) was planted in Mary’s womb and the baby, the Lord Jesus Christ, began to grow to be born a natural birth. All man, and yet all God.
When I first started receiving revelation of how powerful the spoken word of God is mixed with faith I started getting soooo excited!!
Things just started clicking in place in the Bible for me.
“Death and LIFE are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat the fruit thereof.”
We really need to have the word of God established as truth in our hearts, taking up the whole armor of God, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand- firm in Christ.
Now, if someone were to ask me “how I can believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ” I can answer them, “I believe according to His Word.”
“Hark the Herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King, Peace on earth and mercies mild, God and sinners reconciled … “
God sees you. Jesus loves you. Don’t give up, have hope!!!
Merry Christmas and God Bless you with joyfulness, love and laughter!
PS. My favorite part of the song I mentioned is … “Mary did you know when you kiss your little Baby – you kiss the face of God.” Powerful song!
(John 1:14, Proverbs 18:21, Gen. Chpt. 1- caps mine.)
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
