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Nothing Is Impossible With God

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.” Luke 1:35


After being told that she will conceive, Mary rightly wonders how she will have a child when she has not known a man. “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34). Great question! The answer is always the same in the kingdom of God: God will do this. 

Gabriel explains that the Spirit will come upon her, and that God’s power will overshadow her. God will do for Mary what Mary cannot do for herself, conceive a child in her virginal womb; even more, conceive the Son of God. 

One of the reasons that we are often hesitant, fearful, to answer God’s calls in our lives is because we focus upon our very limited ability. We see the time, talent, courage, knowledge, and commitment that it will take to fulfill God’s call. Then we survey ourselves and rightly deduce, as did Mary, that we do not possess what is required to serve in the manner God has asked. 

We forget, however, to calculate what God’s Spirit and power can accomplish working in an ordinary person, like Mary, and you, and me. 

When Jesus called the Apostles to make disciples of the whole world he did not expect them to accomplish this call by their own power. He promised them his power, too. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8) 

The words in Acts are identical to the words in Luke. The Holy Spirit will “come upon you” and you will have God’s “power.” God would do for the disciples what he did for Mary, what he will do for us. This is the way it always is in service to God. He calls us. But he does not expect us to rely on our own power or ability to fulfill his calling. 

We can no more save a lost person, bring a believer to repentance, or lift a depressed person up to joy, by our own power, than Mary could conceive by herself. All good that happens in the Kingdom of God—every small and every great work—depends on the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. 

Gabriel assures Mary further. “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Here is the word we need to understand. For we are right, in a limited sense, with us, not very much is possible. With God, nothing is impossible. The advent of Christ reminds us, that like Mary, we can answer the call of the Lord without fear: “I am the servant of the Lord” (Luke 1: 38). For nothing, especially what he calls us to, will be impossible with God.