Magnificat

Magnificat - Messenger

Israel

Around the year 6 B.C.

She startled awake. Unsure as to why sleep evaded her yet again, Miryam decided to get a drink of water. Sitting up too fast, she stayed where she was for a moment to regain her bearings.

Excitement had encompassed her life in the recent past. She was young, but girls married young, so this wasn't anything unusual to her. She was betrothed, engaged, to a wealthy stone-carver, named Yosef, and he was of the house of David. He was a bit older, but handsome, kind, and sincere. He was surely a man after the heart of Yahweh. These things were more important than age to her. Just a few months, and she would move to his house, becoming his wife. Every young girl wanted this: to have many children and a husband who would care for her.

A sound startled her, bringing her away from her thoughts. Bright light filled the darkened room. A small cry escaped her lips as a man stood inside her room. "How?" Her window was barred as was the front door. Her parents asleep just in the next room.

"Be not afraid, Miryam. The Lord is with you. I am Gabri'el. I have come to you with a greeting from Elohim. You are blessed among women and full of grace. He has chosen you to be his vessel. You will bring forth a son, and name him Yeshua. He will be Emmanuel: God with us."

"How can that be, as I am not yet married?" She asked, baffled by his greeting, afraid by his presence, and unsure of his words.

"The power of the Spirit of the Lord will overshadow you. You will conceive without having known man. From this day forward, all generations will bless you because of your submission to Him. Elisheba, your cousin, is with child. She who was barren is now blessed in her old age."

She was awestruck. Yahweh, Elohim, the One True Living God wanted her, Miryam, to have His ... Son? This seemed like a strange dream, and yet, a man the size of a cypress tree stood in her room, proclaiming this very thing. She nodded her head, relinquishing her will to her Lord. "I am His servant. May it happen just as you have said."

The darkness engulfed her. He was gone, as quickly and mysteriously as he'd come.