Mary did you know…
Filed in Devotions & Studies, General |Journal,
One of the most beautiful songs that I’ve ever heard is entitled, ‘Mary, did you know?’ It was written by Mark Lowry. Here is a bit about the song from ‘Christianity Today’ –
In 1984, the leaders at Lowry’s Nashville congregation asked him if he’d be willing to write a musical for Advent. He gladly agreed. Inspiration came as Lowry focused his heart and mind on the wonder of Christmas.
“I tried to picture Mary holding the baby Jesus on the first Christmas morning and wondered what she was thinking about that child,” he says. “She knew he was special—the Virgin Birth was her first clue—but could she ever imagine all the things that he would do while he was here?”
Soon, Lowry came up with a series of questions that he would like to ask Mary: “Did she know he would walk on water? Raise the dead? Give sight to the blind?”
Lowry decided to use the questions as a monologue to be recited between the scenes of his musical. But the profundity of those questions lingered in his mind long after the church musical was done.
Six years later, harmonica virtuoso Buddy Greene supplied just the right music and “Mary, Did You Know?” was complete.
Since then, Lowry and Greene’s tune has become a modern classic. It has been recorded by more than 30 different artists (besides Lowry), including Kenny Rogers, Kathleen Battle, and Reba McEntire.
“I hear from a lot of people who have sung it in the church choir for Christmas and Easter programs,” says Lowry. “When I wrote it, I felt there was something special there, but I never imagined how wide-reaching it would become.”
Take time to listen to it -
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iZcVA9klMjY
The Joy of the Angels…
It was a great honor to minister this past Sunday at the Simm’s Wesleyan Church. What a beautiful congregation. And they are just like our Christian Challenge family — huggers. 
The worship was wonderful. I took my reading from Luke and from 1 Peter, and shared with the congregation why the angels had such joy at the birth of Jesus. I also talk about the issue of how angels are directly involved in our lives. In fact angels have been a very real part of redemption’s story from the very beginning.
Angels of the face…
I also shared that the earliest Jewish Christians and also the ancient sages believed there was a special class of angels assigned to care for God’s people. These angels are called ‘malakey panim,’ that is, angels of the face [presence]. 
The Lord spoke of these angels when He said, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” (Mt18:10 nasb.)
Yes indeed, the angels had reason to be joyful at the birth of God’s Son. And did not the Lord Himself say this to His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (Jn15:11)
What a joy it is to know the love of our heavenly Father.
May your heart overflow with the joy of this season as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Much love coming your way,
Buddy
I love the line that says Mary did you know when you kiss your baby boy, you kissed the face of God.
I wish a Blessed Xmas for you and your family and a happy and healthy 2008.
Thanks Kitty,
That was the very line that caught my attention. I thought about what David said in Psalm 2:12, “Kiss the Son, lest he become angry, and ye perish from the way…Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.”
Blessings,
Buddy