Luke 1
Mary was a young lady who lived in a simple town called Nazareth. Though she was likely a young teen-ager she was pledged to marry a man named Joseph. While we might let out a little gasp, we should understand that this practice was accepted as the norm in that culture of the time.
She was about to have a surprise visitor that certainly surprised her. An Angel came to her letting her know that she has gained God’s favor and not to be afraid.
He then gave the first expectant birth announcement letting her know she would be pregnant with a boy and she should give her baby the name Jesus. Furthermore, he would rule and reign over a kingdom, his kingdom, which will never end.
We can almost see Mary’s head spinning as she tries to process this angelic message. I appreciate her honesty when she asks, “How will this be since I am a virgin?” As if to say, “Those are big plans but don’t you realize that I’m a virgin?” In other words, “that’s impossible!”
The angel assured her that God has thought this through and that in some divine presence God himself will overshadow her allowing her to be pregnant without the help of a physical male. As if to encourage her, the angel reveals that her barren, elder relative is now in her sixth month of pregnancy. Whether it be Elizabeth or Mary experiencing miraculous pregnancies, or us as we encounter the challenges this life brings us, this truth should be remembered, “For nothing is impossible with God.”
Have A Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
Newby Management Corporate Chaplain
Mike Bynum
941-297-9467