How will this be, Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin? The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be callled the Son of God." Luke 1:34-35 NIV

This is a silly tree. It reminds me of Charlie Brown's tree in a way. This one has needles, but it's missing a top and something around the middle. It's not meant to be a Christmas tree, but then It could be. It depend how you look at it.

Charlie Brown loved his tree, and didn't care if anyone else liked it at all. It had special significance to him. The verse for today has nothing to do with how Charlie felt about his tree. It cannot be interpreted any other way than the way it's said.

Angels don't fool around. They deliver the message given them and then exit. God made them to send us messages and so this is their job, at least some of them. Gabriel is used for the most important messages in history. He's not the type of fellow you want to mess with!

Most angels are horrifying huge and overwhelming to mere mortals.This is why, before the message is given they say, Don't be afraid, because you might faint.The little cheribs we see in artwork through out the centuries do not justify the reality of who these creatures are.

Mary had every reason to believe every word Gabriel said. This didn't make life easy once she told others. We can only imagine the trouble she went through when others didn't believe the reality of her experience. We are told how Joseph took the news.

He wanted to put her away privately because he didn't believe her. Remember,  400 years of silence since God had spoken to His people. God is faithful to care for the details. Joseph is visited by an angel and told all is well with Mary and he should marry her.

Many Jews in the times of Joseph and Mary were crying out to God for the promised one, the Messiah. Many centries past were filled with those who longed to see Yeshua. This was His time to enter into our world.

Just the thought of God coming to be "with us" is mind boggling. We cannot comprehend such a love, and sacrifice! My words, once again, are very limited in expressing His majesty. The Holy Spirit is here to help us receive just a taste of the glory of God!