Possible Impossibility
Opening Prayer
Faithful Friend, thank You for breaking into our world… then and now!
Read LUKE 1:26-38
[26] In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, [27] to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. [28] The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” [29] Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. [30] But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. [31] You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. [32] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” [34] “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” [35] The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. [36] Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. [37] For no word from God will ever fail.” [38] “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What limitations do you put on God?Gabriel’s job seems to have been to pass on impossible news! Zechariah found it hard to accept his message–Elizabeth’s age (1:18) made parenthood highly unlikely. But just over six months later (26) Gabriel did it again. This time he spoke to Elizabeth’s young relative, Mary. And now the news really was physically impossible (34).If the message was that Mary, despite being a virgin, was to have a baby, that would be amazing enough. But even more significant was Who this baby would be (32,33,35). For some reason known only to God, two women from this relatively obscure family were to bear children who would be the fulfillment of centuries of promise. But isn’t that how God still works, through the most unlikely people? Is God calling you to do something that seems unlikely, if not impossible? Don’t dismiss it out of hand. “One individual life may be of priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours may be that life” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, November 30, 2012). Mary’s response to Gabriel is a model (38). There is no false humility here, just submission and trust.
Apply
Significant things are not always big things and we may never know the importance of the things we do. Obey God’s voice.
Closing prayer
Lord, help me to respond to You in the critical moment even when it comes hidden in the obscure.
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