As the sun began to set, Caleb and his family began to settle in for the night. As they gathered in the late evening hours, Caleb's daughter, Abigail, could soon be heard asking him a question. “Abba(Hebrew for father), I have been thinking for the last couple of days about what we talked about with Elizabeth and Zacharias the other night. As the announcement of John’s birth shocked Zacharias, and left Elizabeth in such awe that she went off to be alone with the Lord. I do wonder, what was it like for Mary? How did Mary find out she was carrying Jesus, and what was her reaction, Abba?”
As Caleb heard his daughter words, he smiled as he realized the incredible story he was getting ready to be blessed to share. And as he thought back to all Luke had told him about Mary, his eyes went back to the face of his daughter. “My dear child, I am always amazed at how the Spirit is at work in you, as you patiently think about all He is showing you. I have no doubt He has had this on your mind for the last two days. I know that Lemuel and you have only been married for a short while, and children are not yet in your plans. But I also know what an amazing mother you will be, as I see your mother so much in your words and your actions. It was her love for Christ that so drew me to her when I was young, all those years ago. And in the lifetime I was blessed to be able to spend with her, each day she helped my faith to grow stronger. As I look at you, I see that same faith in you also, and I smile when I realize just how blessed of a man Lemuel is, that he will have a lifetime to share that faith with you.”
As Caleb fought back the tears, he focused again on the question Abigail had asked him. And as he began to speak, he could watch as the family slowly began to gather. “Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, the Lord sent Gabriel on a second mission to this earth(Luke 1:26-27). And this time, he would be sent by the Lord to a young virgin girl who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, who lived in Nazareth, in the region of Galilee. But as miraculous as the news was as Gabriel first came, the news he would deliver on his second mission would be even more miraculous.”
With the family quietly and continuing to gather, Caleb began to explain. “As I mentioned to you all before, most would have thought that Nazareth was the last place the Lord would be sending Gabriel on this mission. Nazareth was a nothing town, and the people from there were thought by most as outcasts. The apostle Nathaniel, as he first was told of Christ, asked the question, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”(John 1:46). I can remember once going through the town, and if you blinked twice you would never know you had passed through. The town sits about fifteen miles away from the Sea(Sea of Galilee), and it is several miles off of the main road. It did not have a good water supply, as the city only had one weak well for all in the town to share. But from this nothing town, the greatest hope this world will ever know would come, just as the prophets had foretold(Matthew 2:23).”
Caleb then looked at his granddaughters, as they sat listening to him that evening. “Ayala, Naomi, and Hannah, the day will come one day when you will be betrothed, as your mothers and fathers once were. An agreement will be made by your father, and by the father of the man you will marry, which is called an engagement. Then a ceremony will be held, where promises will be made between you and the man you will spend your life with. As this is called the betrothal. Then your bridegroom will prepare a house for the two of you, so you can spend your life together. And when this place has been made ready, he will come for you at an unexpected time, so you two can begin your life together as one in marriage. I pray the Lord will keep me around long enough that I may see this for each of you. And I am sure that Mary’s father and relatives wished the same for her, as they saw her beginning a life with an honorable man in Joseph. Mary was in the betrothal stage as our story of her begins, and at this stage she was under obligation of faithfulness to Joseph. For the betrothal to be broken, a divorce would have been required, See my little ones, this was not just a casual promise, as one day, it will not be with all of you.”
Caleb then looked back to his whole family. “Two things about Mary at that time, Luke made very clear to me. Mary was a virgin, she had never known intimate relations with a man. You may wonder why this would matter, as did I at the time. God had promised that the Messiah would be born of a virgin(Isaiah 7;14), as it would serve as a sign to confirm His birth. Also, the Messiah would be born without sin(2 Corinthians 5:21), as He would take on the sin of the world. So often I heard brother Paul tell us that sin was transmitted through Adam, not through Eve, as through man sin came into this world(Romans 5:12). As God was the Father, and perfect in every way, no sin would have been passed to the Son. The virgin birth miraculously shows us that the Father of Christ was no human man, who would have passed sin to the son.”
Caleb then looked into the eyes of his family and continued with the story. “Luke also told me that Gabriel then appeared to Mary, greeting her, telling her she was favored by the Lord as He was with her(Luke 1:29-30). But as Mary sees him, she is afraid and filled with fear, and wonders why an angel would be coming to her. But Gabriel quickly looked to put her at ease, letting her know that God had found favor with her.”
Before Caleb could start again, his son-in-law, Nathan, spoke up. “Abba. I apologize greatly if I have interrupted, but I have a question in what you just said. What does it mean that God found favor with Mary?” Caleb thought for a moment, then began to reply. “That is a great question, my son! In the Books we were told, ‘For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.’(2 Chronicles 16:9). For our heart to be completely His, means we seek His favor more than we seek the favor of any other, including ourselves. Those who find favor in the Lord know that God is with them, and that nothing can happen to them apart from the good He purposed for them(Romans 8:58). Those who have found his favor do so because they have sought His kingdom and His righteousness. Just as we are told Noah found favor(Genesis 6:8), we see Mary also finds favor. As with both, we saw God’s favor bring a new beginning to this world. Does that help you to understand what Gabriel was telling to Mary that day, my son?”
Nathan thought for a moment, then replied, “It does Abba! If I understand correctly, to be found in His favor, finds us in a righteous position before Him so he can best work through us.” “Very well said, my son!”, Caleb answered with joy. “God chooses us in order to use us. But in Him finding favor, also bring with it great responsibility. The person chosen, does not find themselves just in a position of comfort and great ease, but in a position that will require of them the fullness of the head, their heart, and their hands. As that favor may not just bring to us joy, but may also bring to us sorrow. As Mary would one day see, her crown of joy also carried with it a cross of sorrow. Luke once told me the story of when Jesus was taken by Mary and Joseph to the Temple to be presented to the Lord(Luke 2). A righteous man of faith named Simeon was there that day, a man who had waited his whole life to see the Messiah. As the Holy Spirit led him to Jesus as they entered the Temple, he spoke to Mary about all Jesus would bring to this world. That He would be the Savior for all mankind, from the Jews to the Gentiles, and would bring glory to the people. But He also warned Mary of what was to come as he told her, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed and a sword will pierce even your own soul to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”(Luke 2:34-35). The joy of that favor would also come with that promised sorrow.”
As Caleb realized how much the darkness had fallen, he soon realized how long he had been telling the story of Mary to his family. And as he did, he also realized he was not near done telling the story yet. “It is now growing late, but there is so much more about Mary I want to tell you all. So I will make you a promise. Tomorrow, after we have finished our evening meal, I will tell you all what the Lord sent Gabriel to tell Mary. And Abigail, my loving daughter, I promise I will answer your questions as I do!”
I hope your family will join Caleb’s family, as he tells us all more about that amazing first Christmas!
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