Mary of Nazareth
A Teenage Girl ...and Woman of Courage
By Melody Green



  Mary’s incredible life was more heroic and more intriguing than most of us realize. Certainly her absolute surrender and trust in God is worthy of imitation by every believer… of every age.
I realize not everyone who loves Jesus totally agrees on certain aspects of Mary’s legacy--but we must not let that obscure her truly incredible favor and her intimate relationship with the Lord. I confess, I usually forget about Mary until Christmas, when I unpack my nativity and place her next to Joseph and baby Jesus.
But we must remember that God Himself handpicked Mary
to be the earthly mother of Jesus, His only Son.
Undoubtedly, God had many young Jewish virgins in Israel to consider, but He chose Mary above every one else. That fact in itself is a stunningly profound statement about Mary’s character and faith.
Who Was Mary?

What was it about Mary that made her stand out to God above all others? What did God know about her that we need to honor and imitate? Perhaps who Mary was, and all she faced, is difficult to grasp because of her culture.
She was an Orthodox Jewish girl living in a religious community with strict regulations. Today, with God’s grace available to us, how could we possibly imagine ourselves, or our daughters, in Mary’s position?
She wasn’t part of a local youth group with a cool worship band. She wasn’t contemplating a college degree or a career in medicine. Mary’s lifestyle and the conduct expected of her, cannot be understood by most of us today. But it was holy and as commanded by God.
I ask each of you, just for a moment, to try to put yourself, or someone you love, in Mary's situation. What hazards did Mary face? What was the potential cost of her obedience?
So let's go back to that time in Israel's history and try to learn from the example set by Mary – or Miryam, as she was called in Hebrew. [To finish reading this article please click here]

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