God’s Word and Mary

An angel of the Lord showed up on Mary’s doorstep and announced to this young virgin girl, “You are going to have God’s baby” (see Luke 1:26-33). After being assured of God’s power and enabling, Mary worshipped the Lord and embraced His will for her life by presenting her body to the Lord as a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1, nkjv).

The song in Luke 1:46-55 offers insight into Mary’s understanding of God and His ways. She quoted at least twenty-three Old Testament references from Genesis, Exodus, 1 Samuel, Psalms, Isaiah, and Habakkuk. Mary’s off-the-charts Bible literacy shaped her accurate view of God and prepared her to receive God’s Word. Mary knew the story of sin’s origin and the promise of sin’s defeat through the coming seed of a woman who would crush the head of the Serpent. Mary’s Bible literacy produced faith in God and developed such a biblical worldview that she unreservedly embraced the angel’s announcement; she received the seed who is the Son of God coming to establish His eternal kingdom.

We are often shocked when we hear statistics about how few people in America have a biblical worldview—including evangelical Christians. The numbers are even more shocking among young adults. The numbers explain why faith-driven missions (sacrificial giving and going), radical obedience, and passionate evangelism characterize so few in our churches today. Bible literacy produces faith in the hearts of God’s people and prepares them for radical service to a mighty King in an eternal kingdom.

Just as Bible literacy prepared Mary to receive God’s instructions regarding her life, so Bible literacy prepares women today to understand God’s story of redemption and to embrace their place in His story. Bible literacy is key.

Heavenly Father, thank You that I have the Scriptures in my own language. Help me so to live in Your Word that I am prepared to embrace Your will fully. May You accomplish Your purposes through complete access to my life. Amen.