Embrace His Virgin Birth
The Problem with the Promise

Scripture Reading:  Luke 1:35-45

Key Verse: Luke 1:34

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

Many estimate that Mary was 14 years old.  That was the age when women in that culture would begin the journey from a child at home to full womanhood and children.  It does not surprise us that Mary, at her age, was a virgin—never touched by a man.  In their culture there was no sex education or wide spread sexual behavior among the unmarried.  Certainly this culture, like all generations, had a small section of their population that was prostitutes, but we would all evaluate their culture as very conservative in comparison to ours today!

            When Gabriel gave Mary the promise, it all sounded wonderful except for one part: “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”  There lies the big problem in this glorious plan in Mary’s estimation.  How can God do this wonderful thing?  Isn’t that our problem, too, when we need a miracle from God?  Don’t we often ask God for help but leave our prayer time wondering: “How can this be?”  In other words, we can’t imagine the ways of God.

            Make this Christmas season a time to strengthen your faith in a miracle working God; the God who spoke the world into existence; the God who hovered over Mary and by His Holy Spirit planted a life in her womb.  This God is your God and can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).

Father, I will rest in your promises just like Mary did.  I will live today in expectation of your best answers for my questions.  In Jesus’ name, amen.