The angel Gabriel has just told Mary that she was going to conceive
The angel Gabriel has just told Mary that she was going to conceive and give birth to the Messiah, Jesus, who will be known as the Son of the Most High (the Son of God). And Gabriel explains how God will work this miracle in her. Let’s look at something important here. Based on our understanding of Jewish engagement and marriage customs of the time, Mary was likely 12-14 years old when Gabriel visited her. Most biblical scholars agree that she was 14-16 years old when Jesus was born. By contrast, her relative Elizabeth was beyond childbearing years, likely in her 60s, possibly even older.
So, a woman gets an unexpected announcement about a miracle God will perform through her. Then, a teenage girl gets an unexpected announcement about a miracle God will perform through her. One is impossible because she is too old. The other impossible because she’s never been intimate with a man. Here’s the point. Sometimes you’ve waited and prayed for decades for something like Zechariah and Elizabeth and it hasn’t happened. And sometimes you suddenly find yourself in circumstances you were not expecting. Either way, know this, God is still sovereign. And He is not surprised.
Your miracle, expected or not, could happen at any moment. It could also be a long time away. Or you may never get what you want in the way you want it. But please, beloved sister or brother, be like Mary. “Let it be to me according to your word.” Trust the Word of God. Trust His timing. Serve Him consistently and faithfully as Zechariah and Elizabeth did. Don’t try to rush His plan, just stay close to Him. And remember, He always has your best interests in mind (Romans 8:28).
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[c] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Luke 1:34-38
Troy Stoneking is a Jesus follower helping others recover the joy of the Lord in their life. Information Technology leader with extensive experience in team building, training, coaching, sales, and customer service in Clarksville, Tennessee, USA.
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