Can you imagine for a minute what it might be like for a virgin to say she pregnant. Now put that in a culture of people that live among people that are not of jewish faith but live very wildly especially sexually. Then imagine for a moment your family is very traditional religious in regards to the ancient scrolls. You are now pregnant and not yet found to be with child of the Holy Spirit. It is the next day experience of the joy of knowing you having the Messiah and then realize not everyone is going to believe you. What do you think Joseph reaction was on hearing the news. Depending on the culture and the emotional reaction of the man, Joseph either got mad and yelled at her, or he took the news in stride and silent walked away to ponder what she told him. Though another family member was pregnant and had given birth in old age, by announcement from angel was not enough, that same family now had a virgin pregnant. True we only know Elizabeth and Zacharias as being cousins to Mary. We can wonder for a moment how close of cousins scripture does not say. All Jews are cousins. It like one big happy family to a degree. Why cast doubt on family line, perhaps to prove there much we do not know about the story that if today we would search to find the truth out. And yes inquiry minds would like more detail but lets take what we do know and explore. By scripture we know if a woman by religious was found to pregnant she would go before priesthood and drink and bitter drink and if she did not die, she was telling the truth. If she was pregnant by sex outside of marriage she could be stoned. If she had been raped the man could be killed, only if she cried rape. The bitter water story comes from Numbers 5. I went through in once when I wrote on the story and I will not do it again, because the tradition is barbaric to women today. If we had such laws today then more women would be in a world of hurt. Some tradition has to do with purity and sanctity of marriage. I often wonder when some laws were made if they were social laws out of ignorance. I sure there is some on the law books still in the USA, occasionally you hear of one that is being over turned. What we do not know is how traditional Mary or Joseph family was as far as obedience to the law of God, and whether they were fundamentalist or more liberal. We know they were devout Jews, for Mary was consider righteous by her faith in God. We know that Joseph had love and compassion for Mary.

Mary was espoused, or engaged to be married to Joseph. He had not slept with her in anyway and knew it was impossible for her to pregnant by him. Yet no doubt the news upset him. Yet God did not leave him in the state of fear or mistrust of Mary. For God spoke to him by an angel in a dream telling him not to be afraid to take Mary to be his wife. The child Mary was carrying was conceived by the Holy Spirit. God can use messengers to speak to man to accomplish his will. This child was special because his name would be Jesus and he would save his people from their sins. His name would also be called Emmanuel God with us, according to Isaiah. Two names given for the Messiah, Jesus and Emmanuel. And he touched her not until she gave birth to her son Jesus.

The visitation of the angel in a dream was enough for Joseph to take Mary to be his wife. I can not imagine the impact this had on Joseph to move forward in faith, nor Mary for that matter. Had she wonder if Joseph would marry her, had she spent a night in fear. Had she gone through all the heart ache associated with a woman found to be with a child engaged to be married and it was not the one she was marrying's child. How did her parents react, or siblings for that matter. Fact we do not know the events or actions surrounding these events, but what we do know is God is not going to leave a situation He caused without announcing it to all that needs to be concerned with the matter. God would be announcing this birth to more then just Mary and Joseph. The earth itself would also be announcing the time of His birth through an appearance of a star. God did not leave this special family alone, he was preparing them and the announcement to the world of the coming of a new king.

If God calls you up he going to prepare those around you, stop fearing what you understand not, but receive what God's plan is for you. No doubt there were snickers and jokes about Mary being pregnant but I do not doubt there were also those that were awe struck by the fact they knew who was carrying Emmanuel. God allowed Elizabeth to prophecy about Mary being with child. Mary's visit to Elizabeth house and greeting her was more then just a simple greeting of how are you but confirmation of the news from the angel. Joseph having heard and spoken to by an angel, he was a man that was sitll willing to obey God and take Mary has his wife. Her support would be her husband to be, her person that would care for her even at the time of Christ birth would be this man that took her has his wife. God had choosen someone that would be a help mate to Mary in her time of need. Her status not changing by who she was going to raise, she was handmaid of the Lord, willing servant, willing to obey God's call. Are you going to trust God in your call to put people around you? Are you going to trust Him for the right person already has been chosen? Do not be afraid when you speak of your news that it not taken well at first to those that love and care for you. God has a plan and he will prepare those around you.

Dear Heavenly Father, prepare the team you desire to be around about me as peer support in my time of need. You already know what is needed. Your design your way and your will, for it is your will for us to follow your leading. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: 1 Peter 5:6-7 KJV
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.