The elderly Elizabeth groaned as she knelt and picked up the basket that had held their evening meal. Eldwyn mused at the challenges faced by a woman dealing with normal aging woes and carrying a child of six months. She put her left hand to her back, arching her rounded belly forward, and waddled to the shelf where her towel lay. She brushed out the basket to ensure no crumbs remained. With the basket on the shelf, she turned back toward the mat where their cups remained. She sighed, clearly contemplating another trip to the floor for the cups.
The room grew bright.
The sun had already set, but the intensity increased. Shadows, once dancing in candlelight, all but disappeared—washed away by that of a million candles. Eldwyn knew the light. The Light! The Shekinah glory of the Creator. Why here? When he accompanied Zechariah into the temple, yes. But, here—in their home?
“Good evening Elizabeth,” said a young woman’s voice.
Elizabeth inhaled a quick breath and gritted her teeth as a ripple passed through her belly. Movement evident even through her loose tunic which draped itself over her growing stomach.
Eldwyn observed Holy Spirit descending like a flame on Elizabeth. Soon, her belly glowed like that of an ember pulled from a fire. It had been quite some time since he observed the Spirit falling on a person. Yet, even the light coming from Elizabeth paled in comparison to that filling the room.
Eldwyn spun to see the shadows of a fellow angel and a young girl, barely visible against a point-source of light bright as any star. His eyes squinted as if looking at the sun. Though not the sun—the Son. Eldwyn fell prostrate on the floor before the speck of Shekinah glory. Rise Eldwyn. He felt the instruction rather than hearing it. He obeyed.
“I am Adiya,” said the angel. “I am blessed to be the guardian of the chosen one.” She stepped between the tiny manifest presence of the Creator, residing in the abdomen of the young woman, and Eldwyn. “I believe you are the one known as Eldwyn?”
“Chosen indeed,” said Eldwyn. “Correct, is your assessment of my identity. An incredible burden she bares.”
“Truly. We have endured many encounters with the enemy in the days of travel since Gabriel announced her blessing.” Adiya walked to Elizabeth and patted the glowing sphere which contained the one who would be called John. “They will be good for one another.”
Eldwyn nodded. “Yes, Elizabeth can benefit from the youth of Mary.” He turned and studied the wide eyes of the young woman who would nurture the Creator of the world. “And, Mary can benefit from the years of Elizabeth.”
Adiya stepped beside Eldwyn.
“You are the most blessed of women,” said Elizabeth, “and your child will be blessed!” She approached Mary and placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “How could this happen to me—that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me! She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!”
Adiya grinned and looked at Eldwyn. “Yes, they will be good for one another.”
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,” said Mary, “and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, because He has looked with favor on the humble condition of His slave. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy.” Tears crept into Mary’s eyes. “His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.” She touched Elizabeth’s belly with her left hand and her own with her right.
“He has done a mighty deed with His arm;” she continued, “He has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; He has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, mindful of His mercy, just as He spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
Eldwyn leaned on his staff and looked at Adiya. “Such grace and humility for one so young. The Father’s plan is perfect.” A blessed assurance given the assignment set before them.
All Scripture from Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) - Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
The room grew bright.
The sun had already set, but the intensity increased. Shadows, once dancing in candlelight, all but disappeared—washed away by that of a million candles. Eldwyn knew the light. The Light! The Shekinah glory of the Creator. Why here? When he accompanied Zechariah into the temple, yes. But, here—in their home?
“Good evening Elizabeth,” said a young woman’s voice.
Elizabeth inhaled a quick breath and gritted her teeth as a ripple passed through her belly. Movement evident even through her loose tunic which draped itself over her growing stomach.
Eldwyn observed Holy Spirit descending like a flame on Elizabeth. Soon, her belly glowed like that of an ember pulled from a fire. It had been quite some time since he observed the Spirit falling on a person. Yet, even the light coming from Elizabeth paled in comparison to that filling the room.
Eldwyn spun to see the shadows of a fellow angel and a young girl, barely visible against a point-source of light bright as any star. His eyes squinted as if looking at the sun. Though not the sun—the Son. Eldwyn fell prostrate on the floor before the speck of Shekinah glory. Rise Eldwyn. He felt the instruction rather than hearing it. He obeyed.
“I am Adiya,” said the angel. “I am blessed to be the guardian of the chosen one.” She stepped between the tiny manifest presence of the Creator, residing in the abdomen of the young woman, and Eldwyn. “I believe you are the one known as Eldwyn?”
“Chosen indeed,” said Eldwyn. “Correct, is your assessment of my identity. An incredible burden she bares.”
“Truly. We have endured many encounters with the enemy in the days of travel since Gabriel announced her blessing.” Adiya walked to Elizabeth and patted the glowing sphere which contained the one who would be called John. “They will be good for one another.”
Eldwyn nodded. “Yes, Elizabeth can benefit from the youth of Mary.” He turned and studied the wide eyes of the young woman who would nurture the Creator of the world. “And, Mary can benefit from the years of Elizabeth.”
Adiya stepped beside Eldwyn.
“You are the most blessed of women,” said Elizabeth, “and your child will be blessed!” She approached Mary and placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “How could this happen to me—that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me! She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!”
Adiya grinned and looked at Eldwyn. “Yes, they will be good for one another.”
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,” said Mary, “and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, because He has looked with favor on the humble condition of His slave. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy.” Tears crept into Mary’s eyes. “His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.” She touched Elizabeth’s belly with her left hand and her own with her right.
“He has done a mighty deed with His arm;” she continued, “He has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; He has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, mindful of His mercy, just as He spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
Eldwyn leaned on his staff and looked at Adiya. “Such grace and humility for one so young. The Father’s plan is perfect.” A blessed assurance given the assignment set before them.
All Scripture from Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) - Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
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