She about 14 years old when she discovered she was pregnant. She was born in a time when getting pregnant out of wedlock could result in her being stoned to death. She was engaged to be married, but the baby wasn't her fiancé’s. Now, faced with an uncertain future and one that would surely result in her death, she had a difficult decision to make.
Her name was Mary; her fiancé’s name was Joseph. She claimed to be a virgin. Can you imagine the thoughts going through Joseph’s head when he heard that? Let us not forget that Joseph was at least 10 or 15 years her senior, some say he might have been older then that. So we have a young girl (a child really) trying to make this man believe that she had conceived a child by the Holy Spirit of God and that an angel told her to name him Jesus and that He was going to save people from their sins.
Wow! That does sound farfetched doesn’t it? And yet this young couple’s obedience to God resulted in the birth of the Saviour of the World. I’ve no doubt that they faced jeers and sneers in their small town of Nazareth. I wonder how Mary’s parents reacted? How would you react if your 14-year-old daughter came home pregnant? Yeah, they acted that way too.
As a Christian, I am amazed at the obedience of this young couple. Obedience to God is a hard thing when you are faced with uncertainties. But if we trust God and put our faith in Him, we can experience a blessed and changed life.
©2008 Laura Davis
