12-6-13 Mary

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. (Luke 1:26-38)

Thoughts: Mary was amazing in that she was young but was trusting in God in a difficult situation.  She could have been stoned for adultery (for who would believe in a pregnant virgin?) or shunned by her family and friends.  Mary was willing to lose her life to save it.  She was willing to serve God whatever it took.  We could learn from her ability and strength.  Zechariah said, "How can I know that I will have a child- I am so old?"  His was a questioning of God's ability. Mary was asking a question of the mechanics of how.  But she did not doubt that if God said it could happen, it could happen.
     The angel tried to reassure her by saying (verse 37), "no word from God will ever fail" pointing to the reliability of God's promises.  The 1984 NIV translated this "Nothing is impossible with God." This is a much stronger translation and fits with the context of God's doing what is humanly impossible. As a grown man, Jesus believed the angel's message saying, "With man this is impossible, but nothing is impossible with God."   Mary trusted God in an impossible situation- with her reputation and life at stake.
She sets us a great example of faith and trust in God.  

Prayer: Help me to trust you, Lord in thick and thin.  Help me to believe that nothing is impossible with you.