'I am the Lord's servant'

Some hours later, you enter your home. You can hear the sounds of your family, laughing and talking. How can they be so happy?

Over the next few days, the realization of what will happen sinks in. Your friends smile at you, but keep their distance. The older ladies joke with you, assuring you of Joseph's standing in the town. You try to appear happy, though inside you are still fearful of the future.

A few weeks after the announcement of your engagement, you slip out of the house. Free for a little while, you wander through the town, finally resting under an olive tree. Why, God? Why must I marry Joseph? I hardly even know him!
Suddenly, a flash of light blinds you. You shield your eyes from the glare. A voice says, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Frightened, you look up. There, standing in front of you, is a man. His clothes are bright white, his hair golden, and his eyes blue. You throw yourself to the ground, quivering with fear.
The man gently helps you to your feet .Something inside of you realizes he is an angel.  He speaks again: "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end."
"How can this be," you ask, "since I am a virgin?"
The angels answers, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth, your relative, is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
Your mind is whirling with all the angel has said, but a great calm settles on you.
"I am the Lord's servant," you say. "May it be to me as you have said."
The angel nods, then vanishes. Now left alone, you ponder all that has happened. How can I have a child, without a husband? And what about Elizabeth? Surely she is too old to have a child! Looking up to the sky, you whisper the angel's words: "Nothing is impossible with God."

That night, you ask your parents' permission to visit Elizabeth. Though they seem puzzled, they give their permission. As you settle on your sleeping mat, you ask God for his blessings, and for a safe trip tomorrow.

To be continued......

~Lily