From the archives of Evelyn Roberts – First of three parts
Mary, I want to ask you some questions about Christmas, for you were the one God chose to start it all.
How did you feel that day long ago when you were just a young girl and an angel spoke to you, telling you that you were highly favored of God, a chosen girl? It must have frightened you. You’d never seen an angel before, had you?
And when He told you that God had chosen you to bear the humanity of Jesus, weren’t you frightened? You must have said, “Why me, Lord? I’m engaged to be married. If my fiancé finds out about this, he may break the engagement. And what will my friends say when my body begins to grow large and everyone can see I’m pregnant? I may even be stoned. I can’t tell them the Baby has no father, that He has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. They won’t believe me.”
Did you feel like saying, “No, it’s asking too much of me. I’m only a girl. I’m not mature or wise.” Instead, you said, “Let it be done unto me as the Lord has said.” I’m glad you made the choice to obey God, Mary.
Later, after you became pregnant and your friends turned away from you, how did you feel Mary? Did you regret the decision you had made? After the Lord spoke to Joseph, your espoused husband, and told him your secret, it still must have hurt you to hear the snide remarks: “If I were Joseph, I’d be careful. She’s just a streetwalker. Can’t he see she’s been with someone else? Why do you suppose he protects her? We really should stone her. That’s the church law, you know.”
Did your faith falter, Mary?
When you had to go to Bethlehem just days before you were to give birth, riding on that donkey must have just about killed you. You must have wished that you were a little girl again at your mother’s knee and that this bad dream would go away.
Then when you arrived in Bethlehem and the innkeeper said, “No room in the inn,” you must have hurt so terribly and wanted so much to lie down in a nice soft bed.
Did you wonder why there was no welcome for you in Bethlehem? Did you ask, “Why, Lord, is there no celebration? I’m soon to give birth to the Savior of the world! There should be a welcome sign hanging on every door in Bethlehem!” But no, there was not even a room for you, Mary.
