Mary was a young girl who was pledged and chosen to be married to a man named Joseph. She had never been intimate with a man; she was a virgin.
One day the angel Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God (Luke 1:19), appears to Mary and gives her a word from God. Mary is told that she will conceive a child by the Holy Spirit--and that child will be the Messiah!
Now remember, first Mary is seeing and hearing an angel. Then, this angel tells her she will carry The Messiah for Israel and all of mankind, and she is a virgin! Mary questions how this could happen and then does an extraordinary and important thing: she accepts The Word and says, "May it be to me as you have said."
Young Mary decided that she would believe and agree with The Word she heard, and she sealed it in faith and history by speaking that she received it! Mary had to speak by faith that she would receive The Word, carry The Word, and birth The Word given to her.
Mary lived in a culture that if an unmarried woman was found to be with child, she could be stoned to death by law. She would have to face her Jewish family and neighbors that were totally against what appeared to be--that Mary had been sexually promiscuous.
And Mary also had Joseph; what would he think of her? As a holy man, he would not want her anymore, for it looked as though Mary had been with another. Try explaining being pregnant without being sexually active! Who would believe you?
Yet with all that was against Mary, she did what God wants us to do today....
