thinking about mary

I've been thinking a lot about Mary.....you know, the earthly mother of Jesus.

Mary was a Jew. We know that she was very young at sixteen or seventeen years. She was engaged to be married to Joseph, also a Jew. We know that she was still a virgin.

They, like all young couples in love, were looking to spend the rest of their lives together, so it seems as if this very normal young lady was excitingly planning her future and living her life in the Jewish culture of the day.

If you are a woman, imagine yourself in Mary's place. We can well remember the giddiness and excitement of that time of our lives.

One very ordinary day that turned extrodinary, an angel came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you."

Can you fathom what you would do if that happened to you? The Bible says that Mary was

1. greatly troubled at what the angel had said to her and
2. that she tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be

The angel had very politely greeted her.
He told her that she was favored.
He told her that the Lord was with her.

I know I would be flat on the floor shaking and scared out of my mind. Angels just don't come and speak audibly to us very often.

After the angel greeted Mary, he said, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God."

Amazing! Here was this sinful child getting on with her life and this angel came and told her she had found favor with God. Incredible!

How did she find favor with God? Way back before the foundation of the world was set,God chose Mary to be the vessel through which Jesus would come into this world. She didn't ask God for this honor, she didn't seek it in anyway. God chose Mary and when He got ready to tell her, He did so.

The angel continues to give Mary God's message:

"And behold you will concieve in your womb and bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Mary only had one question in reply, "How will this be since I am a virgin?"

She recovered enough from her fear to ask one sensible question. Remember, the angel had told her already that the Lord was with her. The Holy Spirit had come to her and she was prepared to do what God would ask her to do. She just wanted to know how on earth it would happen because she had not "known" Joseph yet.

The angel answered her question:

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy----the Son of God................for nothing will be impossible with God."

You know what Mary said without hesitation?

"Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."

Instant obedience......no more questions, no let me pray about it and get back to you, no let's wait until after the wedding.....none of that. "I AM YOUR SERVANT."

And the angel departed from her..........

to be continued.