“Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’… ‘For with God nothing will be impossible.’ Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word’” (Luke 1:34-38).
Mary lived in a land burdened by Roman rule, where the people of God longed for redemption and wondered how God’s promises could possibly come to pass. In this climate of waiting and uncertainty, the angel Gabriel appeared to a young woman in Nazareth with a message that would change the world. She would bear the Messiah, the Son of the Most High. Though she believed God, she asked the natural question: “How can this be?”
Gabriel’s answer still echoes across generations: “For with God nothing will be impossible.” What was impossible for Mary was possible for God. What seemed impossible for Israel’s redemption was well within His power. The coming of Jesus reminded God’s people that He enters human history precisely when circumstances appear hopeless.
Mary’s story reflects the story of Israel. Both faced situations beyond human ability. Both wondered how God would fulfill His promises. And in both cases, God intervened through His Spirit and faithfulness. The miraculous birth of Jesus revealed that God’s plans move forward not through human strength, but through His power working in yielded hearts.
Mary did not understand every detail. She did not know how Joseph would respond, how her community would react, or what challenges lay ahead. But she knew the character of God. Her response, “Let it be to me according to Your word,” was an act of profound trust. She surrendered her life to God’s purposes even without knowing how He would accomplish them.
Throughout Scripture, this is how God works. He brings light into darkness, hope into despair, and possibility into impossibility. He opened barren wombs, parted seas, raised up deliverers, and restored the broken. The annunciation stands as a declaration that when God steps into a situation, everything changes. He is with us, and nothing is impossible for Him.
This Christmas, many of us face circumstances that feel overwhelming. Maybe it is a broken relationship, a medical diagnosis, a financial burden, or a burdened heart. We may find ourselves asking the same question Mary asked: “How can this be?”
The invitation of Advent is to trust God even when we cannot see the outcome. It is to believe His word above our fears. God still works through those who trust Him.
PRAYER
Father, thank You for sending Your Son into a world that seemed impossible to redeem. Teach us to trust You when our circumstances feel overwhelming. Give us hearts like Mary, willing to say yes to Your word, confident that nothing is impossible with You. Amen.
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