This month, I’ve been sharing about Mary’s response to the events surrounding the birth of Jesus and how she “treasured up these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19, NIV). Mary cherished God’s word to her, what He had done for her, and His power available to her. Today, I’d like to share how Mary treasured her personal relationship with God.
In the first chapter of Luke, we find a song that Mary sang after the angel Gabriel announced that she would give birth to the Son of God. In the song, Mary declares, “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (v. 47, NKJV). I think it’s very interesting that Mary referred to God as “my” Savior. She didn’t just call Him “the” Savior or even “our” Savior; to Mary, He was “my” Savior. I believe that little word reveals that Mary’s relationship with God was very personal for her.
Later in her song, she declares, “He who is mighty has done great things for me” (Luke 1:49). Again, notice how she added the words “for me.” She could have just said, “He has done great things,” but instead she proclaimed that God “has done great things for me.” Mary could speak from personal experiences that God had been good to her. She didn’t have to rely solely on the stories of friends and relatives; she had seen for herself that God was great.
You see, there’s a big difference in knowing someone and just knowing about a person. When you only know about someone, you’re perception of him or her is based solely on what others tell or show you. But when you really know somebody, you can speak to what you have personally seen, heard, and experienced with that person. That’s the kind of close relationship God desires to have with us. He wants us to know Him, not just know about Him. He wants us to be able to refer to Him as “my” Savior. He wants us to be able to speak about what God has done “for me.”
One of the central messages we should realize in the Christmas season is how much God wants to get involved with us on a personal level. The fact that He took on human form to walk among men, women, and children shows how much He wants to interact with humanity. In fact, one of the names Jesus was called was “Immanuel,” which is translated “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
John declared, “In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1,14). How amazing it is that God would choose to dwell among man! Jesus walked the earth for 33 years, then ascended to Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit so that believers could enjoy an even closer relationship with Him. By inviting Jesus to live within our hearts through His Spirit, we can enjoy fellowship with Him every minute of our life.
During this season, we’ve paused to reflect on the time when God took the form of a baby to personally interact with humanity. Today and in the new year, know that He still wants to personally interact with you. He desires a close, personal relationship with you. He desires to be included in your everyday life. Jesus is still knocking on the doors of our hearts. Let’s welcome and receive Him today.
Reflections 