Every first-time parent desires to do a good job. They read books on child-rearing, many seek advice from experienced parents. Joseph received a message telling him his son would be the Messiah, and Mary too learned that their child would grow up to sit on the throne of David. What steps did Mary take to prepare for parenting this special child?
In those first months of pregnancy, before others could notice her pregnant state, Mary spent time preparing for the heavy responsibility of parenting God’s Son. She reviewed scriptures to understand more and more about God’s promised Messiah. By the time she headed south to visit her older cousin Elizabeth, Mary already had begun to grasp the unique role she would have in raising God’s Son. Her song – recorded in the first chapter of Luke – reveals how she used her time pondering and then quoting many passages in Psalms that pointed to her son’s future work.
Just as Mary prepared for parenting Jesus by seeking God’s guidance in the scriptures, so we too can prepare to pass on our faith to our family members and others by studying scripture. Why not begin today by reading Luke 1:46-55 and spending time in prayer today?
