Prayer-Soldier
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Joined: Apr 18, 2009
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 Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 11:01 pm Post subject: Pondering the Thoughts of a Young Virgin |
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Many blessings to all,
In the book of Luke, we are told an angel of God, Gabriel the Archangel, appeared to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph. In that moment, a message was given of a life to be conceived by the Holy Spirit, the only begotten Son of God.
Can we imagine what we might do if an angel appeared and spoke to us? Would we respond with fear or great joy to such a sight – but then, if the appearance of an angel was not enough, could we imagine the thoughts of a young virgin when the angel spoke and said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you. Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called 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.”
It was only a few short sentences. This young woman, Mary, told she would conceive and bear a son, a Son of the Most High – is it possible she would understand, that she could fathom what was being set in motion? In that moment, she asked, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply, \"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. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.\"
Mary could have been left doubting herself, perhaps wondering if she was asleep in a dream or somehow hallucinating as she absorbed the words of the angel. We do not know the thoughts she pondered. Perhaps she thought to flee or maybe to tell the angel she had other plans for her life, but in that moment, instead of turning away, she submitted to the will of God.
After the angel departed, could she have thought about what would transpire next? Did she think about what she would tell her parents, her relatives, her friends, her betrothed? Did she think about how they would react? Did she fear, once revealed with child, unmarried, not having relations with the man to be her husband, that she might be put to death, stoned in disgrace; or did she know that the Lord was with her, that she was blessed amongst women and that she would be protected to bear the fruit of her womb, Jesus?
Can we imagine the faith with which this young virgin was blessed that she would become the mother of God? Can we imagine the events that would follow in such a short period of eternity; moments which would pass that would affect generation upon generation, beginning with the choice of a young woman to say, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
May the Lord be with you,
Prayer Soldier
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