Yes, Mary, We Do Know!
The popular Christmas song “Mary, Did You Know?” asks the question if the mother of Jesus knew all that her tiny newborn would go through during his life. While I can’t give a complete answer to all Mary knew…I’m certain she did know SOME of what was ahead.
But we have a different, perhaps privileged, perspective.
We celebrate the birth of Jesus every Christmas. But we are celebrating with the incredible knowledge of what this baby was going to go through. The baby Jesus entered into our darkness by a miracle, he walked the earth, demonstrating even more miracles. And then his grandest act on earth was the greatest miracle, his resurrection. This baby was going to be tortured and hated, but he had a mission that allowed him to see the greater purpose behind it all.
When we have a greater vision beyond our present hurt and struggle, God will carry us through it and right to his side.
Jesus demonstrates the way to his father, but he also makes it very clear the way is going to be extremely difficult. He shows us how a live lived with outrageous love can impact the entire world—but you may be despised for it, you may even lose your life.
The ultimate truth is that love always wins out, which Jesus proved by showing us this life is never the end of our story.
Knowing Jesus walked this path before us allows us to trust that he knows and empathizes with our every step, our every pain, and our every tear. And because of Jesus, we can keep taking that next step. Hallelujah. And the promise we can cling to is that we’re never alone, that he is with us—Emmanuel.
That’s the hope of Christmas.
If this is something that seems to be stirring in your heart, I encourage you to read your Bible, to pray, to talk to other people about what they know about God, listen to teachers and pastors who you feel you can trust, and never let go of the hope that God who loves you deeply, is working to make something incredibly special out of your life.
Here’s a link to a YouTube Christmas Concert I did a couple years ago in the midst of the pandemic. I had been taking my Hope of Christmas tour around the country for about a decade prior, and this was the first year without it…so I had to do something! I had a ton of fun, and got a lot of my friends and family involved. I hope it brings you and your family great joy!! Merry Christmas!!
And please consider subscribing to my Live Hope Minute daily blast of hope which will begin delivery in January!! Thank you!
Hallelujah, what a Savior!