Now Mary was a young girl. Many scholars say she wasn’t much more than 14 or 15 at the time, and was engaged to be married to Joseph.
I’m sure, like with many newly engaged young ladies now, she was both a little scared and excited – knowing her life was going to change radically in the near future. But she had no idea by just how much.
She went to bed one night. Maybe she worried about what type of wife she would be. Or where she’d live. Maybe she had a hard time falling asleep but after tossing and turning for a bit, she finally nods off, only to be awoken by Gabriel.
I can hear his voice. “Greetings Mary. You are highly favored. The Lord is with you!”
Now, I don’t know about you, but if I was sleeping soundly in my bed and I was woken up by a stranger at the end of my bed, I would be pretty frightened. And if this person glowed without the use of a candle, I’m pretty sure I’d be afraid.
And so was Mary. I can just imagine Gabriel looking at her, so calm and loving. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to give you good news, for you have found favor with God!” Gabriel goes on and tells her that she will give birth to a son who she should call Jesus.
“Mary, ” Gabriel says. “He will be great. He will be called Son of the Most High and he will reign forever.”
Now Mary was all confused. How could a virgin give birth?
The angel spoke with her, telling her all that she needed to know, and then returned to Heaven.
I can imagine Mary, sitting there in her bed, trying to take in everything that she had just heard. She was probably excited, and scared, and maybe even a little confused. Why her – she wasn’t from royalty. Her family didn’t have riches or land. Yet it was she that God had chosen because she had found favor with Him.
Next: Joseph
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