Page 6 - January 2025 - Truth & Tidings

it is indispensable for those brethren to any other mother knew.
whom God has given the responsibility
of public teaching. But it is essential, too, Her Place
for young girls and for mothers. May We can learn much from Mary’s first
we be exercised to emulate Mary in her appearance on the pages of Scripture,
knowledge not just of God’s Word but of but what of her final mention? What
His greatness also.
could be a fitting conclusion to a story
Her Pain so remarkable? Human imagination,
Mary’s praise thrills us. But even as we untrammelled by Scripture, has its answer
share in her exulting, we are conscious of in the assumption of Mary into heaven – a
the immense cost of her simple statement, notion of which we find not the slightest
“Be it unto me according to thy word.” hint in our Bibles. Rather, we take our
Even as she spoke those words, she must leave of Mary in a very ordinary and
already have been anticipating some of yet a very special setting, in what would
what lay ahead. God, in His kindness, become the first New Testament assembly,
intervened to spare her the pain of an where the apostles “continued with one
exceedingly difficult conversation with accord in prayer and supplication, with
Joseph, and provided her with a safe the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus,
haven in the house of Elizabeth. But not and with his brethren” (Act 1:14). That the
everyone would respond like Joseph and handmaiden of the Lord, highly favoured
Elizabeth did. The stigma of adultery and blessed among women, should end
would gather and stick; she would never her days as just a member of a local church
be totally free from it (see Joh 8:41). For will surprise us only if we have lost sight
a sensitive and spiritual girl to know
that everywhere she went there would of how special the local church is. This
be whispers of suspicion and accusing dispensation affords no higher honour
fingers was no small price. But real though and no greater privilege than simply to
it was, this pain paled by comparison with continue, in assembly fellowship, with
the experience that Simeon warned her the Lord’s people. It only requires a little
of: “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy imagination to realise what an asset she
own soul also” (Luk 2:35). None of us like must have been to the company there in
to see our children suffer, but none of us Jerusalem. The woman who as a teenager
had a child like Mary did, or witnessed had such a knowledge of God had gained
such sufferings as Mary saw. Her mother’s an intimate knowledge of Christ, and
heart would feel in sympathy something it must have been remarkably sweet to
of all the Saviour’s sufferings. Her heart hear her speak of Him, to talk of His birth
would share the grief of His betrayal and and His boyhood, to relate the depth of
fill with bafflement as He was hated and
traduced. Ultimately, she would stand His sufferings and the warmth of His
beneath the cross and the sword would unfailing love. And, perhaps, as the
pierce not just her heart but her very soul. younger believers gathered around, she
Submitting to the will of God would be a told them, as she still tells us, how glad
costly thing, and the woman blessed above she was to one day have said, “Be it unto
women would know pain beyond what me according to thy word.”

6 TRUTH kTidings January 2025