“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”Luke 1:45
Blessed because you believe? That’s the story of the Christian life, isn’t it? From Genesis to Revelation, we read of men and women who received promises from God, and they believed in those promises. Sometimes, they had to wait a long time for those promises to become reality, and sometimes, they never saw those promises in their lifetimes. But they believed, and they were blessed.
The promise that Gabriel revealed to Mary was unthinkable. Mary, an unmarried teenager, a virgin, engaged to a poor carpenter, learned that her womb would carry the Messiah, the Savior of Israel, the Savior of the world.
How can this be?
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy–the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
She asked no questions about what the village or Joseph would think or do. Instead, she said that she was the servant of the Lord, so be it. Then, she went to see Zechariah and Elizabeth (who was pregnant with John the Baptist).
When Mary arrived, John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb, and she greeted Mary.
“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”Luke 1:45
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” Luke 1:46-47
Praising God and rejoicing, Mary proclaimed that she believed the promise.
She did not understand how the promise would unfold. She did not know that she would give birth in a stable, wrap her Son in swaddling cloths, and lay Him in a feeding trough. What she did know was that with God, all things were possible. What she did know was that what was impossible for her, was possible with God.
What Mary knew was how God had worked in the nation of Israel. Mary recounted the promises, the strength, the provision of God, and she remembered that her God was mighty and had done great things for her.
Mary believed God for the impossible. Do you?
As we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus, let’s recount how God has worked in our lives and rejoice in the great things He has done for us.
God used a peasant girl. He will use you and me. The key?
Believe God for the impossible.
My prayer
Mighty God and Father, we magnify You as Lord of all. Thank You for using frail vessels like Mary, and like us, to turn impossibility into possibility. Thank You for sending Your Son into the world to pay the price we owe because we have sinned. Thank You, Jesus, for loving us so greatly that You shed Your glory with the Father for the time that You would spend on the earth. Thank You for conquering death and Satan. Thank You for being our High Priest and speaking to the Father on our behalf. We celebrate You, Jesus. We celebrate You, Father. We celebrate You, Holy Spirit. We celebrate Christmas joyously. Have Your way with us today. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
