Mary trusted God.
She was young. She was engaged to a man named Joseph who was of the House of David.
(Luke 2: 26-38)
When the Angel Gabriel appeared to her, she was troubled at his greeting. “Hail, Favored One.” Then she heard the rest of his message, “Mary, Don’t be afraid, for you have found favor with God. You will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you will call Him, Jesus.” She heard the angel say, “ He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the Throne of David, His father, and He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there will be no end.”
She did not doubt the messenger when he told her she had been chosen to be the mother of the Most High. She only asked one question when Gabriel appeared to her. “How shall this be done? She was a virgin. She had no relations with a man.
She was reassured when the angel said: “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.”
Gabriel went on to tell Mary that her elderly cousin, Elizabeth would also give birth soon. She was in her sixth month. “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Mary trusted in God. She knew that everything would work out according to His plans. She left to visit and help care for her elderly cousin, Elizabeth, who was also carrying a child. Even as she went on her way, she simply trusted God would take care of everything.
The problem was that Mary was unmarried and pregnant. She was also engaged to Joseph, and he was not the baby’s father. When Mary left to visit Elizabeth, Joseph didn’t know that Mary was with child, much less that this child was the Son of God. All would be revealed , and when Joseph learned that his bride was going to have a child that was not his, he would have to make a decision. By law, under these circumstances, Joseph did not have to take her into his home as his wife. According to the law, he could divorce her. At that point, Mary would be subject to the law, and as an adulteress, she could be stoned to death. Joseph was concerned for the safety of Mary and her child. Joseph’s decision would be to divorce her quietly and not subject Mary to shame and cruelty.
God, knowing the great faith of Joseph, stepped in to take care of the Mother of His Son. God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream. The angel told Joseph not to fear, and to take Mary into his home as his wife. The angel told Joseph that this child was the Promised One. Without delay, Joseph took Mary as his wife.
God chose well.
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