Is God's Arm Too Short?

Luke 1:26-38 NLT  

   In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 

   29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 

  34  Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 

  35  The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 

   38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. 

Two special appearances by the Arch Angel, Gabriel (the one tradition says is the horn blower of the last trumpet). He comes to bring unique news to two unique people. First to the father of John, supernaturally born in his parent's old age as a harbinger of Isaac, son of Abraham. Next to Mary to be the virgin mother of the human savior, and Sacrificial Lamb, Jesus. Notice how Mary responds to the mind-boggling news brought by the angel. First she simply struggles to understand. Scripture tradition has Mary being a very young woman, possibly in her teens. Perhaps this helped her not give in to the cynicism that years bring us. Her only question was not for proof but in wonderment as to how such an event could be possible given her virginity and obedience to that part of God's law.

Mary surely knew what society would make of your supernatural pregnancy, but she did not protest about that to the angel. After Gabriel explains by reminding her how with God nothing is impossible, she accepts the promise with the words "may everything you have said about me come true." The perfect faith, without detailed understanding but in complete Trust that God was in charge and going to work out His will for His glory to save humanity from sin.

We can learn from Mary that we need not posses detailed understanding of the mechanics of God's promises and miracles to yet receive them. All we need to do is simply believe and trust. Certainly there are things you wish to believe God for that are not nearly so supernatural as were these two births, especially the birth of The Savior. We can stand with Mary in this passage and hear God's messenger tell us as well that "with God nothing is impossible." Or some like to paraphrase Isaiah 59:1 'Is God's arm too short?' Certainly it is not. With God's will all things are possible. What are you willing to trust God for this day and say as Mary did "may what the Lord says about me come true."

Your servant in Christ's Love

Dan

drdanelliott@gmail.com