On my way to fetch water from the well, I notice how blue the sky is today.  Each day Jehovah shows me something new to enjoy. I learn of His character and promises from my father, as he studies the Law and the Prophets. What a privilege it is to be of the line of David and know that the Messiah who will be our Savior will come from our family line.

Out of nowhere, He appears and announces, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

This is no ordinary greeting. Who is this and what could his words possibly mean?

The angel continues, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you will name Him Jesus.

He will be great and called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Israel forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

My mind is spinning with all that he is saying, so I ask, “How can this be? How can I have a son if I am not intimate with a man?”

He responded, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you like a cloud; for that reason, your holy and sinless child will be called the Son of God.

And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was barren is now in her sixth month.  For with God nothing is or ever will be impossible.”

I am beginning to understand all that the angel is telling me.  The Lord will impregnant me with His Son.  I am the chosen one to be his mother.

My heart-felt response can only be, “Indeed, I am the handmaid of the Lord; may everything that you said to me come true.” Then the angel left.

Thankfully God also sent an angel to my betrothed Joseph, so he comprehends as much as is humanly possible, that this baby is our Savior.  My father taught me that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, so I am not surprised that the emperor Caesar Augustus issued a decree for every person to return to their family’s town for a census. Since we are of the Davidic line, we are traveling to Bethlehem.

I travel with mixed feelings.  I am sad to leave our home in Nazareth, as the people that we love and our memories are there.  Yet, it has been challenging to be the subject of gossip, given my pregnancy before our marriage.  Traveling pregnant is not easy, especially as I am nearing my time. The days are long and the terrain is mountainous, but Joseph protects and cares for us every step of the way.

As we arrive in Bethlehem, I am relieved to finally have a room to rest. Ultimately, Bethlehem is bustling.  King David has a large family line, so countless people are flooding in from all number of regions.  Joseph searches tirelessly, but with rejection after rejection, we wonder if we will be sleeping outdoors once again. 

Through the kindness of one man, we now have a roof over our heads.  We are sleeping with animals, but at least it is dry and warm.  My pains begin and I realize this is the night I will give birth to Jesus.  Thankfully, there are no complications. I labor hour after hour until sometime in the night he is finally born. With great relief and unspeakable joy, we see the precious face of the Son of God.  We count his fingers and his toes and marvel that God is here in this tiny one. Once he is wrapped up in cloths, he falls asleep. We lay him in a manger right next to us, and Joseph and I quickly fall asleep as well.

While it is still dark, we are awakened by a group of men. Excitedly they are all talking at the same time. As I become more awake, I realize they are shepherds. It appears an angel visited them as well. They tell of how bright the angel was, and how frightened they were.

The angel announced, “Do not be afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For this day in the city of David your Savior has been born.  You will recognize him as a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a huge army of angels, all praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace on whom His favor rests.”

The shepherds immediately came to see for themselves everything the angel told them. They experience firsthand the wonder of Jesus’ birth. As enthusiastically as they arrived, they left telling everyone what they had seen and heard. 

Once they leave, the quietness returns. What a night this has been, my heart is full, and our time with Jesus is just beginning.  Pondering all that God is doing, I hold Jesus especially close to my heart.