Mary’s Faith

Mary was betrothed to the carpenter Joseph, getting ready to start married life. An angel appearing to her must have been startling, but his greeting troubled her. How was she favored by the Lord, and how was he with her more than anyone else?

Unlike Zechariah, when Gabriel told Mary she would have a son, she didn’t doubt him—she simply questioned the mechanics. She was a virgin and knew that children required a father as well as a mother. When Gabriel made it clear she would bear the Son of God, she simply submitted to God’s will.

Her assent to the plan required great faith. Gabriel didn’t promise she would still get to marry Joseph, or even that she wouldn’t be slandered or stoned as an adulteress. Saying yes could have cost Mary her life, but she trusted God’s plan to save his people.

Her song of praise, called the Magnificat by later Christians, tells us a lot about Mary’s faith. She was steeped in the Old Testament and believed God’s promises to his people, both to save and bring justice. She knew that the son she carried figured into those promises, but she couldn’t have possibly known exactly how that would play out.

Mary is an example of faith grounded in the foundation of God’s promises in Scripture.

Mary is an example of faith grounded in the foundation of God’s promises in Scripture. Rather than simply hoping that it will all work out somehow, Christians can place confidence in the specific promises and plan of God laid out in Scripture. When we study Scripture, meditate on God’s promises, and pray for God to bring their fulfillment, our own faith is strengthened.

While her place in salvation history was unique in that there would only be one mother to the Messiah, Mary’s faith is something that all of us can strive to imitate. And to do that, we need to start with studying Scripture and understanding what it teaches about God.

Question for Discussion/Reflection: How can you improve your Bible study habits and prayer life to grow in your faith?

Suggestion for Prayer: Choose a promise of God related to believers in Christ and ask that God would make that a greater reality in your life.