Mary'am Meets an Angel!

Dear Diary

My thoughts soared heavenward with a yearning to be one with Ha Shem especially today because the sky looked like shining molten gold against abundant clouds of dazzling white. The whole atmosphere seemed to be hushed as if it is standing on tiptoe in the Shekinah of Adonai.

Many furlongs away the Sea of Galilee is rippling under this same glorious sunset. If it reminds me so much of Paradise here, what must it look like over the water?

I was lingering near our almond tree, which is adorned with a thousand pink and white flowers. Over my arm hung a basket filled with eggs, since I had just finished collecting them from our colourful laying hens.

A dazzling dove swept by. It caught my attention. She was such a bright contrast to the beautiful horizon. As I gazed upon her, I wondered if perchance this would be the time I would see where her little fledglings were hidden. I have been intently watching her for some time now.

        I was also enjoying the fresh, invigorating breeze which was sweetly scented with the fragrance of a million early flowers, when a Voice seemed to float towards me.
I don’t know how else to describe it. I looked around but saw no one.  There was such a quietness and calmness in the twilight stillness that I was not afraid; just mildly curious.  While my eyes swept the glowing sky and dewy green landscape a marvelous Being appeared. He seemed to materialize out of thin air, but for some reason I was pleasantly intrigued rather than terrified.

        Then in angelic tones, this glorious creature, who was arrayed in raiment that dazzled like snow, spoke to me. “Hail, you are highly favored, the Lord is with you: you are blessed among woman.”

I had been gazing rapturously upon him, but these words made me feel uneasy so lowered my eyes. How could someone such as I be highly favored? Surely my thoughts have become too lofty and El’ Elohim was about to rebuke me. He knows how deeply I have longed to mother his Son. Perhaps that was rash and foolish for a maiden as lowly as I.

        “Fear not Mary’am:” he said gently, “for you have found favor with God.” My hand pressed against my throat. “Me?” I breathed. He nodded and not only his face, but his whole being glowed with a radiance that could only be described as celestial.

Although I was in the presence of one of the angels of El’ Shaddai, for some reason I felt serene and more composed than I have ever felt before.

It was almost like I had been lifted to a hallowed plane. The cares and burdens of life had fallen away, as if I had shed them for a time, like waterfowl sheds water. After a momentous pause, he continued.

         “Listen! You are going to conceive and give birth to a Son and shall call His name Yeshua. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David. He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever: and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”

        “Excuse me, sir,” I raised my eyes to shyly meet his gaze, “But how can this be, since I am a virgin, and know not a man?” 

“The Holy Ghost shall come upon you and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of you shall be called the Son of El Shaddai.”

        A tremble shook my body at these majestic words and I think my face must have gone ashen. It was more than I could comprehend. Carry the Son of God! That was my heart’s desire!  Something I had longed for more intensely even than to be married to my beloved. My knees felt weak. Surely something so holy and glorious could not be happening to such an insignificant handmaiden of the Lord. I must be dreaming!

The serenely glowing face of the angel came back into focus once again and when he spoke it was in a gentle, soothing voice about things that were at least a little more ordinary.

        “I have more good news for you! Your relative Elsa Bet is carrying a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her, who was called infertile.”

                I gazed at him in awe, open-mouthed but speechless.

Elsa Bet? My favorite aunt! How wonderful! How very, very wonderful! Won’t Imma be delighted when she finds out? She always felt so sorry for her eldest sister because she never knew the joys of motherhood!

 
        He beamed. “With God nothing shall be impossible!”

        I sank to my knees among the wild flowers, clasped my hands together, and replied in a hushed voice. “Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to your word.”

        While I watched wonderingly, the angel’s feet rose from the ground, his magnificent wings spread out, and I saw him gradually lift up higher and higher, until he flew out of my sight. After he was gone, an Invisible but very hallowed sense of Shekinah, surrounded me. Never have I had such profound agape love, such happiness, and complete tranquility permeate my being as it did at that moment. It must have been a foretaste of the joys of Paradise.

Although the sensation faded, I am certain that ‘I AM’ touched me in a very profound and personal way. I can-not express what He has done for and to me. When He left I quietly murmured Alleluia El ohim Yisrael!