Mary: Blessed of All Women

 The angel came in and said, "Hail, you who are highly favored.

The Lord is with you and blessed are you among all women."

Mary was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind

a greeting like that.  But the angel assured her,

"Mary, you have nothing to fear.  God has a surprise for you:

you will become pregnant and give birth to a son,

and call His name Jesus.

He will be great, and be called Son of the Highest.

The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father, David.

He will rule Jacob's house forever.

-Luke 1:28-33

When I read this story in the book of Luke, I begin to wonder if Mary actually realized it was an angel that she was talking to.  Surely she must have wondered, "Who in the world is this?"  Here is some guy telling her that she is blessed more than any other woman on earth.  The Scripture says that Mary was perplexed - thoroughly shaken - troubled - with probably a good dose of fear thrown in the mix.

Her strange visitor then stuns her with the message that she is going to have a baby - a son - and must name the child JESUS.  The child would be the Son of the Most High God, from the family and lineage of David, ruling over Israel forever.  These words may sound odd to us, but they held great significance for Mary.  The angel was plainly saying:  Your child - your son that will be born to you, is going to be the Messiah, the Promised One of Israel.  You, Mary, are the fulfillment of one of the greatest prophecies in the Old Testament:  

For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given,

and the government shall be upon His shoulders, and His name shall be called

Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, 

the Prince of Peace.

 Isaiah 9:6