Surprise Birth Announcements

Don't you love to get birth announcement? They come in surprising ways today. Facebook. Email. Snailmail. My son grinned as he handed me an envelope with an ultrasound of my grandson inside.

Years ago my first child was introduced with a surprise announcement. I married and moved immediately to another state. My family worried a lot. So when I became pregnant I chose not to mention it by phone or mail. After 11 month I came back home, and put her into their arms by way of announcement. Surprise!

But can you imagine the shock if you were given two announcements at the same time...by none other than an angel named Gabriel. According to Luke this is what happened to Mary. Why was it done this way? Why two announcements?

In the first chapter of Luke, Mary is told,"Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son..." Oh, and by the way "your cousin Elizabeth she hath also conceived a son...and this is the sixth month with her. For with God nothing is impossible."

Mary may have thought, My impossibe situation is that I am a virgin, and I'm going to have a  baby in 9 months. I believe the angel. I do.

But Elizabeth's impossible situation is that she is old and barren. Gabriel just said she is six months along. Hey, she will be showing!

Suddenly Mary decides that she hasn't seen cousin Elizabeth in a long time. Scripture says, "So Mary arose and went...with haste...and entered in the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth."

Elizabeth answers with a loud voice to tell her "the baby leaped in my womb for joy...there shall be a performance of those things which were told from the Lord." Elizabeth was telling Mary. He's been here, too. It's going to happen to you exactly as Gabriel said.

Perhaps Elizabeth even put Mary's hand on her moving belly. We do know Mary stayed three months, and watched Elizabeth's and her own body change.

Nothing is impossible. God is come in the flesh. It's not to late, nor is it too early. If the LORD announces something over your life then you are expecting. You are pregnant with a promise.