Luke 1, con't

The same angel, Gabriel, came to Mary to let her know she was also going to conceive. Mary questioned the angel - out of awe - for she was a virgin. Her question was not a question of disbelief so Gabriel did not rebuke her like he did Zacharias.

An unwed mother, back in the day, would be accused of adultery, a sin that could be punished with stoning. So her response to the angel is extraordinary! "And Mary said, 'Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.'" v. 38

An interesting think I learned in this chapter. Mary went to see Elizabeth while Elizabeth was in her 6th month. Mary stayed 3 months, which means Mary was there for the birth of John! Very cool.

Of course, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby leaped in her womb, a verse I never get tired of hearing. But what I had missed before, was that Elizabeth was also filled with the Holy Spirit and knew Mary's condition before Mary even told her. "And she cried out with a loud voice and said,' Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.'" v.42-45

And so it went, in the Shadow of the Cross.