Monday, December 12, 2011

Through the Eyes of a Mother

This is a Christmas card that I've had for probably decades.  It is framed and hangs in my house at Christmas time.  I love the tenderness in the picture and the sweet baby Jesus.

My view of the Christmas story has been enriched by the fact that I've had children--three to be exact.  It helps me relate better to several things.

In the Book of Mormon, the Christmas story is from another view point--from the American Continent.  There was a prophesy about Christ's birth in Jeruselem, and the believers were continually ridiculed by the non-believers.  (See 3 Nephi Chapter 1 at LDS.org) As the time of the prophesy drew closer, the ridicule turned to threats, as the non-believers threatened to put to death those who believed, if the prophesy was not fulfilled. 

Now, as a mother, I picture those believing mothers, heartbroken and terrified for their families, but knowing what they believed.  I picture those mothers praying so hard to know what to do, how to protect their little ones.  It is heart-wrenching in that context.

The sign, of course, came, and they knew that Christ had been born in Jerusalem.  I can only imagine the overwhelming relief of those mothers, the prayers of gratitude!

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, the Promised Messiah truly had been born.  His mother was Mary, to whom the Bible refers as "highly favoured" and "blessed among women." (See Luke chapter 1)

The young, gentle Mary must have been stunned to know that she'd bare the Son of God, but she meekly accepted: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

I don't know what Mary expected from that point on, but I know that I might have expected better accommodations to give birth to the Son of God.  But of course I am not Mary.  But I feel for her, nine months pregnant, traveling on the back of a donkey 90 or more miles. (See "The Peace and Joy of Knowing the Savior Lives.")

Now here's the part where my motherhood gives me insight.  It is so uncomfortable to be nine months pregnant!!  It is uncomfortable to be lying in a soft bed that far along!  I almost cry when I picture her, so pregnant, so LONG on the back of a donkey.   Oh, I ache just thinking about it!  I wonder if it ever entered her mind during what must have been a several day trip, "I didn't think it would be like this."

And then to not find room at the inn, to have to give birth in the middle of animals, and lay Him--the Son of God--in a manger.  I wonder if it surprised her to find herself in that situation.  It is so hard and painful to give birth.  I sincerely can't imagine doing it in those circumstances! 

Yet, I picture her, the beautiful, humble Mary, accepting the circumstances just as she accepted her calling: "Be it unto me according to thy will."

There are great lessons of humility here: the humble birth of the King of Kings, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I believe that God was showing the world that the way to be great is to be humble.  I so admire Mary, so humbly accepting her calling to be His mother, and accepting all things that came with it.

I ask myself: Am I humble?  Do I accept all the things the Lord will bring me through so meekly?  Am I truly His servant?

I know that Christ was born in humble circumstances and now reigns in the heavens.  I know that He saves, and is there for us.  And I testify that His birth was prophesied in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  Oh the beauty of the Christmas story in this mother's eyes!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

He Strengthens Us

One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon talks about weaknesses and strengths:

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Ether 12:27

I taught the 12 and 13 year-old girls at church recently and the lesson was about how much the Lord loves us, and then goes on to how he makes our weaknesses strong, if we let him.  The second part was based on this scripture.  I have always loved this scripture, but something jumped out at me during the lesson.  I'll explain.

When we come to the Lord, he shows us our weaknesses.  This can be painful.  We can choose several things: anger, insecurity; but what he really wants us to do is be humble.   It says so in line two.  These are the two things that the Lord provides from weakness:

1. He sets the stage for us to be humble.
2. His grace is sufficient for us.
He then tells us the conditions for overcoming our weakness:

1. We humble ourselves before him.
2. We have faith in him.

Then he makes our "weak things become strong" to us.

Here's what jumped out at me during the lesson: the two things that the Lord provides from weakness, and the two things that we do to overcome weakness are the same things. They are combined below:

1. He sets the stage for humility/we choose to be humble.
2. His grace is sufficient/we have faith in him (that his grace is sufficient).

He set us up to succeed!   He sets the stage for us to be strong, to overcome our weakness.  It is dependent on our accepting and choosing those conditions.  He is so kind, and loving, and he truly can make weak things strong to us.  What a powerful scripture!