Have you ever prayed for an impossible thing? Something that you knew would have to be a miracle of God. Well, imagine praying for God Himself to come down in a human body. Imagine praying for the promised Messiah to come in your lifetime. And then imagine discovering that you were going to the mother of God’s Messiah. What would you think? How would you respond? It’s an interesting thought exercise for us, but it was more than that for Mary.
The Bible tells us just enough about Mary to know that she was a normal girl with a normal life. Mary was a young virgin, living in a small insignificant town called Nazareth, engaged to a humble carpenter named Joseph. It seems that Mary’s life was neatly arranged. Certainly, she had prayed for the promised Messiah, but we have no indication that she excepted him to come through her!
So, it’s no surprise that she was amazed when Gabriel greeted her, saying, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” This was quite the greeting! The Bible says that Mary “cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.” In other words, Mary thought, “Who in the world is this and what in this world is he talking about?” She may have looked around the room and then gestured as if to say, “Who me?” The angel reassured her, “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.” Then Gabriel explained what that meant: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” This message harkened back to Isaiah’s prophecy that a virgin would bring forth a son (Isaiah 7:14) who would occupy the throne of David and rule forever (II Samuel 7:12-16). Talk about a lot of information to take in all at once!
Perhaps just as surprising as the angel’s appearance is Mary’s response. Mary responded to this impossible thing with faith, and she responded to God’s rearrangement of her life with joy. Her faith is immediately apparent. In Luke 1:34, Mary asks, “How shall this be seeing I know not a man?” Considering the angel’s message, the fact that this was her only question—how? not are you sure?—says much about her character. The promise had been made centuries before through the prophet Isaiah, and now it was going to be fulfilled through her—young, insignificant Mary of little, insignificant Nazareth. Her only question was how God was going to do it! She simply took God at His Word about a seemingly impossible promise. Mary’s response was faith—believing that God’s promises would be fulfilled.
The angel answers her faith-filled question in Luke 1:35, explaining that this miraculous birth would be performed through the Holy Spirit’s power. Messiah’s birth was not anything like the so-called “virgin births” of pagan myths. It was not some sordid relationship between a supposed deity and a human woman. No, this was something utterly unique—a true miracle. The word overshadow in verse 35 means to cover with a cloud or to invest with preternatural influence. This overshadowing is the same overshadowing that happened on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:5). This covering cloud is the same cloud that abode in the tabernacle of God (Exodus 40:35). This overshadowing cloud represents the glory and presence of God. Just as God’s glory did a great work on the mount of transfiguration and in the wilderness, so God’s glory was going to do a great work in Mary’s life.
Then, Gabriel shared that God had also blessed her cousin Elisabeth with a miraculous pregnancy, remarking in Luke 1:37, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” According to some Bible commentators, this phrase could also be translated, “For no word of God shall be powerless.” Either way—the truth remains. God can do anything that He wills and everything God says will come to pass. How could a virgin have a child? How could the God of heaven also be God with us? Everything about this message seems impossible. The only explanation is that God’s Word never fails. As Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.” The verses previous to and following Isaiah 40:8 prophesy of the Messiah’s coming and of one who would go before him. These prophecies—these words of God—are being fulfilled through Mary and Elisabeth in Luke chapter 1. Mary’s response to all of this is, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word.” Mary simply took God at His Word—that He could and would perform what He promised and that “with God” she could see this impossible thing come to pass in her life.
While becoming the mother of Messiah was a wonderful opportunity, it was also a major rearrangement of her neatly arranged life. What if other people misunderstood her or even mistreated her? How was she supposed to raise God the Son? While these were certainly valid questions, Mary did not let worry overshadow her joy. Mary responded to God’s rearrangement of life with joy. This is evident in the fact that she couldn’t keep the news to herself. Soon after Gabriel’s visit, Mary visited the one person who could understand what she was experiencing—her cousin Elisabeth. It is during her visit to Elisabeth that Mary exalts God saying, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.” She then recounts a brief history of God’s dealing with Israel—how He had put down the proud and lifted up the humble. She praises God for “remembering his mercy”—his promise—to her people.
Mary’s exaltation reminds us that God is the Keeper of impossible promises. It reminds us that “no word of God shall be powerless.” Her example should boost our faith in God’s promises to us and bolster our joy in God’s will for us. So, what impossible thing do you need to take God at His Word about today? What promise do you need to start acting on and praying through? What rearrangement of your life do you need accept with joy? What is it that God has asked you to do that seems too impossible? Like Mary, we should respond to Luke 1:37— “For with God, nothing shall be impossible”—with Luke 1:38—“Be it unto me according to thy word.” Mary did not do anything except trust and rejoice in God. It was the Holy Spirit who worked out the impossible in and through her. Mary’s story demonstrates that, if we will have faith in Him, God will be faithful to us.