Mary gazed at Joseph proudly. He had made the shop look so presentable even with half of his stock gone. She scanned the wooden furniture tastefully displayed in each corner and the rows of wood neatly stacked. The scent of wood and sawdust made her happy. It reminded her of the man she loved.
“You’re going to do this well, Joseph. I know you are.”
“How do you know, Mary? You’ve only known me for six months.”
“Six months of being together almost every evening. You’re a hard worker and you have passion. That’s the most important thing.”
“Wisdom and experience is important too.”
“And you have that too. You’ve worked with your father all these years.”
“Many of those years with rebellion in my heart, deliberately ignoring his wishes.”
“I cannot imagine…”
“Yes, I was a terrible teenager. I made my father’s life miserable.”
“So what changed it?”
“God did. I was in synagogue and they were reading the law. I realized how far I had fallen from the mark that God has for me. I still feel so far.”
“No, you’re not far.” She took his hand and squeezed it.
“Oh, Mary. We are all so far. Some days I wish that I lived in Jerusalem so I could study the Torah in the temple.”
Mary gasped. “Me too. I have always wished for something more, even though as a woman it’s not allowed.”
Joseph took her other hand in his. “I wish to see the sacrifices made at the temple. I want to see that my sins are really being atoned for. I’m so skeptical, Mary. I doubt the leaders and priests that they are following the law.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve never thought of that. But I have a longing in my heart for something from God. And I know it’s more than deliverance from the Romans.”
“It’s the Messiah. When He comes, that longing will be fulfilled. I have it too, Mary. Some days, I feel desperate.”
“I know that God cares for the common people too, Joseph. Not just the priests.”
“Of course He does.”
“But why does He only reveal Himself to the priests and leaders?”
Joseph looked away. She knew that he had no answer, and she knew that the thought troubled him. She walked to the counter of the shop.
“What wood is this, Joseph?”
“It’s acacia.”
She smoothed her hand over the wood to feel its texture.
“They used it in the tabernacle,” he added. “I do know some of the law.”
Mary sat on her chair in the living area. She loved the new chairs that Joseph had made their family. They had a soft, velvet cushion punched onto the seat part and it was so much more comfortable. So many things had been better too since her father had found work. She was stitching a quilt for her marriage bed. Joseph was making it in the workshop at this moment and had given her the measurements months ago. She had five more months before the wedding and she was only a third of the way through. She felt the heat rise up her neck at the stress despite the cold in the room. Her family had all gone to the market and left her to finish her sewing. How she wished Abigail would do it for her and she had even offered, but she knew it was her job. She wanted Joseph to sleep under a quilt she had made, not her sister.
The house was strangely quiet but she enjoyed the peace. It was sometimes therapeutic to be left to her own thoughts. The last six months had been a whirl of activity in courting Joseph and preparing for the wedding.
A bright light flashed before her eyes. She wondered if she’d left the candle without support and there was a fire. She stood up. A shining figure appeared before her, so huge that his head reached the high ceiling. She fell to her knees in horror. Was this an angel? Was she being punished for her presumptuous words yesterday to Joseph about God not revealing himself to the common man?
“Hello, dear Mary. You are highly favoured by God. The Lord is with you.” His voice was gentle yet strong and of another world. She began to tremble. What could this mean? Was God rebuking her? Was he warning her of some danger ahead? She bowed her head so as not to look at the shiny creature. She’d never seen anything so awesome in her life. The light shining from him was beautiful and hard on the eyes yet she felt compelled to look.
The angel touched her on her shoulder. She felt a heat enter her being.
“Don’t be afraid, Mary! Stop trembling. I’m bringing you good news. You have found favour with God.”
How? How could I have found favour with God? What have I done? I’m just an ordinary virgin betrothed to a man.
The angel’s bright eyes seemed to pierce her soul. She felt a presence in the room and it wasn’t just the angel. Awe filled her being.
“You will soon be pregnant and then will give birth to a son. You must call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God.”
Staring at the angel, she wondered if she was dreaming. Maybe she’d fallen asleep while stitching.
“The Lord God will give your son the throne of his father David.”
His father, David. But, she wasn’t a descendant of David. Then she remembered her conversation with Joseph last month about his family tree. Joseph was a descendent of David. She’d envied him. Now she felt totally taken aback. God had chosen her for something. What was it?
“He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
Forever! What type of child was she going to have? Then she remembered that she wasn’t even married to Joseph yet. How could she be pregnant?
“How can I have a baby? I’m still a virgin.”
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cast a shadow over you. So the holy child that will be born shall be called the Son of God.” The Son of God! What did that mean? How could she get pregnant without marrying?
“Even now, your cousin, Elizabeth, is going to have a child and she is already in her sixth month of pregnancy even though she was declared barren. Nothing is impossible when God works.” Mary stared at the angel. God wanted her to be pregnant before she was married! It was a miracle indeed, but what would Joseph say? What would her parents say? She felt that same strong presence in the room. It was as if the longing all those years for more was beginning to be fulfilled. It was like she had tasted something new, something she had wanted all her life. She couldn’t push Him away. She had to listen to Him no matter what the consequences would be. She loved the Lord more than anything else.
“I am the servant of the Lord. Let it happen what you have spoken.” She bowed her head humbly. The light disappeared and she looked up. The angel was gone. But that presence was still in the room. She felt the tears begin to tumble down her cheeks. Why had God chosen her? Why did God love her so much? She was overcome with emotion and wept for some time. Only when her family came home, did she remember that she would have to explain to them what had happened. Would they believe her?
Abby ran into the house and found Mary kneeling on her mat. Mary looked up at her and her face was odd. She looked so beautiful, so shiny. She ran up to Mary and saw the tears on her face.
“What’s going on Mary? Why are you crying?”
“I will tell you all now. Where are Mother and Father?”
“They are on their way.” Mother and Father entered the room, carrying their sacks. Abby wanted to tell Mary that she’d bought the cloths for her wedding dress but she felt a strange feeling. Mary looked different – glowing and troubled at the same time. Something very important was up, and she didn’t feel free to interrupt.
“Mother, Father. I need to talk to you,” Mary called. It was already dark outside.
“Let us clean up, Mary. It is late and we are tired. Did you prepare supper?”
Mary swallowed and looked down. Abby sighed. Typical Mary to get so ca
ught up in something to…Then she remembered how much sewing she still had to do.
“I’ll prepare something quick,” Abby suggested.
“No, wait. Please all listen to me. I have something to tell you.”
Father tapped Mother on the arm. “Let’s listen to Mary. It sounds important.”
“An angel appeared to me.”
Mother’s eyes flashed. “Mary!”
“I’m not joking, Mama. An angel was standing right there.” She pointed to the far end of the room. “He was standing near the wall.”
“How do you know it was an angel?” Abby asked.
“Because he was shiny bright and as tall as the ceiling. He told me that I am greatly favoured by God.”
“Mary,” her mother rebuked her. “You are betrothed to a wonderful man. You cannot get into one of these moods again.”
“Mama, listen. The angel said that I would have a son and He would be called the Son of God and that He would reign on the throne forever.”
Abby stared at Mary.
“Mary, you have to marry Joseph before you can have a son. We all have good plans for our children,” added her father.
“No, Abba. This was different. The angel spoke these words to me – I didn’t make them up. He said that I would become pregnant by the power of God.”
“I believe you, Mary,” said Abby. “I can see something happened to you. You’re shining.”
“It’s the Holy Spirit,” said Mary.
Mama turned away. She took the purchases to the storage area and kitchen. Father stood staring at her, a troubled frown on his face.