Daily Devotional for Tuesday, December 9

The Time for Mary

“And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house,” Luke 1:56.

When I lived in Kenya, pregnancy was not a topic to discuss. I was told not to congratulate a clearly pregnant woman or even ask questions at all. There was a superstition around discussing the baby before he or she was born. The women in the village did not have doctors to check the mother and baby’s progress through the pregnancy, and often there were complications to giving birth. Everyone thought it best not to discuss such things with the mother.

It is unclear in Scripture whether Mary stayed until Elizabeth gave birth to John or went home before he was born. Either way, she was beginning to show signs that she was pregnant, and it was time to make some decisions with Joseph. The Bible is also silent on when Mary told Joseph about being pregnant. Had he known since the angel visited Mary and spent the last three months deciding what to do? Had she just disappeared to visit Elizabeth to pray about how to tell him? Whatever the case, it was time for Mary to go home. No doubt, the journey back to Nazareth was filled with prayer as she faced the reality of her situation. In Matthew 1:18-24, we can see that Joseph received his own visit declaring the truth and instructions. Evidently a just man, he had no intention of shaming her or calling for her death even before this visit; however, in verse 24, he obeyed God and brought Mary into his family home so that he could care for her.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

When the price of obedience seems too high, remember that Jesus paid it all.

Ashley Ridings