As I got older and was wondering if there was a Santa Claus I would go to my dad and ask him and he would always say the same thing, "as long s you believe he will come." I would ask did he believe when he was my age? Again, he would say, "my mom told me as long as I believe he will come." I still believe! It was so exciting thinking of Santa Claus coming. And my dad had Santa's phone number and most people did not have that! I guess they needed that to work on my two brother's behavior!
Now, it seems silly to think of what we believed but as children we just believed. It is too bad we can't be more like kids now! When the angel came to Mary and told her that the power of the Most High is going to come on you. Luke 1: 26-28, "God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'” God was going to breathe life into her womb! What would we have done? Laugh? Cry? Try to wake up? After a very long time of letting the fact that something supernatural is going to happen, I would have been scared to death. What would my parents think? What would Joseph think? What would the neighbors and family think?
Luke 1: 29-33, "Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 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, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.'”
Mary knew for a fact this was a virgin birth. Even Joseph probably had a doubt about Mary. She was the only one on earth who could have told who the father was to prevent crucifixion. Mary believed in God and believed she was highly favored. We can believe that too. God has a solution for us before we have the problems.
Luke 1: 34-37, "'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' 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. 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. For no word from God will ever fail.'” Of course, Mary wanted to know, "how will this be?" How would God become human and be born of a virgin? Luke, the writer of this story, was a doctor. He knew about babies and maybe that is why he gives the most details on Jesus' birth. He knew this was supernatural! Something that just does not happen! It does not happen because it is impossible!
Impossible things are possible with God. There were many almost impossible birthstories in the Bible prior to Jesus. Isaac, Samuel, John the Baptist were all born in situations that science would say is impossible. But God decided that it was part of His plan and made it happen.
Luke 1: 38, "'I am the Lord’s servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.' Then the angel left her." Maybe we should be more like Mary and ponder her question. We need to spend time pondering and treasuring all these things in our heart. We need to be still with God - through prayer, meditation, devotions. We should spend time in wonder of all the great things He has done for us! Jesus Christ came to earth to save us!
The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Coggan, said, "When God intends to make something wonderful he begins with a difficulty. When he intends to make something very wonderful, he begins with an impossibility." We should be rejoicing that the impossible did happen! Jesus was born of a virgin into our sinful world and he brings eternal life to all who believe in Him.
The story does not stop there. God is still able to do the impossible for you and I. We should be expecting great things. Remember, His word never fails. Here is His word: Ephesians 3: 20-21, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." God can accomplish through you those things that seem impossible! Matthew 19: 26, "With God all things are possible." Our faith in Jesus Christ enables us to meet any challenge. I love the quote, "Anything under God's control is never out of control."
Have a Mary Christmas!
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