December 7 – Day 8

Luke 1:34-38

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

“For with God nothing will be impossible.”  Such a simple statement from the angel to Mary, yet such a profound statement about the power of God to all of us.  Mary had a simple question, right?  What was it?  How can I have a baby without a man’s participation?  It was a truth the people of that time knew well.  It takes a male and female together to produce offspring.  What would the counterpart to Mary be so that a child could be born?  It wouldn’t be the same process as they knew, but her counterpart would be God Himself and the child would be the Son of God, Jesus Incarnate.

I imagine (sanctified imagination here at work) the look on Mary’s face led to the further explanation by the angel.  Your cousin, who has never had children and is well past the age of being able to have children – well she is expecting and is six months along.  Now the look is utter amazement on Mary’s face.  And here comes that simple, yet deeply profound statement, “For with God nothing will be impossible.”

God’s will is always undergirded by God’s infinite and omnipotent (all powerful) power.  This is the reason God could simply state, “Let there be light and there was light.”  It is also the reason that he can tell us “That whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  God not only has the power to accomplish all His will, but He has the wisdom to know what is right and good in every situation.  He knows if the heart that calls on Him truly desires salvation or a quick fix of a situation.  And His power, wisdom and will that was conveyed to Mary by the angel was she is the one to be the mother of Jesus.  God spoke and it was!

God still works and will today.  There is never a time He desires you to do something within His will that He will not provide the means and power for you to accomplish it for His glory and your good.  What is it that you know God desires you to step out and be, to do, to go that you are asking “How can this be?”  Remember, “With God nothing will be impossible”.