It’s Thursday of the first week in Advent. A more modern Christmas carol didn’t come upon the scene until the late 1980s, but once it did, it was recorded by dozens.
“Mary, Did You Know?” is a modern carol written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Green (music), both of whom sang with the gospel Bill Gaither Vocal Band in the 80's and 90's. It was composed by Mark Lowry in 1984, but it was not released on an album until 1991. It didn’t take long before it soared to fame.
Why?
Mark Lowry wanted to meditate on the birth of Jesus from her own humanity. The question: Mary, did you know? seems rather odd given the biblical account of the visitation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary. Yet, the song is beautifully a reminder that God comes to us as human beings with all our human perplexities:
Lowry once said, “I just tried to put into words the unfathomable. I started thinking of the questions I would have for her if I were to sit down & have coffee with Mary. You know, "What was it like raising God?" "What did you know?" "What didn't you know?"
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you
Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God
Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know?
Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know?
The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb
Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect lamb?
That sleeping child you're holding is the great I am
Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know?
Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Mary did you know? Oh
Mary did you know?
I
As parents, we all look at our kids in amazement (yes, sometimes in exasperation); but we constantly keep asking the questions: "How do I raise this child?"
Mark Lowry was a challenging child. Today he probably would have been diagnosed with ADHD. His parents struggled to know how to help their "hyper-active" child. Often in trouble in school, he was placed on medication to control his behavior.
His parents believed that God had a plan for his life and instead of trying to make him like the other children, they sought to take his uniqueness and make it a positive. Mark loved music and they gave him every opportunity to exercise that love. When he was a teenager he sang before an audience of 15,000 and was a hit. Benson records signed him to a recording deal and finished junior and senior high school through correspondence school.
In 1984, while living in Houston, his pastor asked Mark if he would write a song for their Christmas presentation. He wrote "Mary did you know". “When I wrote this thing about Mary,” Mark explained, “I began by thinking I was interviewing her on her thoughts of being a mother to Jesus. A couple of the lines I wrote really stood out, like ‘when you kiss your little baby, you’ve kissed the face of God.’ I just thought this needed to be a song.”
He joined the Gaither Vocal Band after Bill Gaither saw him sing. There in the late 80's he met Buddy Green. Green put the poem to music and it became an instant hit. The original song was released on a Michael English album in 1991. Dozens recorded it. Natalie Cole, Kenny Rodgers with Wynona Judd, Kathy Matea, Clay AIkens, even Cee Lo Green.
My favorite version is from Pentatonix, but Clay Aiken’s version is well done also. “Mary did you know” is not an old carol, but it is a reminder that the carols of Christmas capture the mystery of the Incarnation - Immanuel, God is with us!
The Pentatonix version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE
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