Anything's Possible

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:37-38)

The Word of God above refers to a significant event set against the backdrop of a dialogue between the angel Gabriel and Mary in a town in Galilee called Nazareth. It was this dialogue that brought us to the arrival of a Savior.

What did the angel Gabriel actually say? Gabriel was God’s messenger (Luke 1:26) sent to deliver a message that Mary was chosen by God to be the vessel for the birth of the Savior, Jesus (Luke 1:31). Mary’s response was an expression of deep conviction that she accepted everything the angel Gabriel said. This proves that Mary was not afraid to face all the risks that awaited her in the future.

Mary firmly stated that she was merely a servant. The word servant has many synonyms, and in essence, it refers to someone who has no rights over themselves. This is the picture Mary wanted to convey to all of us. When God wanted to use her, Mary did not refuse because she fully realized that her life belonged to the Lord.

The angel Gabriel’s words, “For nothing will be impossible with God,” also echo what is written in Genesis 18:14, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” That story was set against the backdrop of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah. At that time, the Lord spoke directly to them that the following year, Sarah would conceive. These two events share a similarity because the promise was equally addressed to a woman. Sarah, in her old age, was used by the Lord to give birth to Isaac as the child of promise, whereas Mary, who was still a virgin, was used by the Lord to give birth to the Child of Promise.

The closing statement delivered by the angel Gabriel, “For nothing will be impossible with God,” in my view, holds two meanings. First, Mary’s pregnancy was not something impossible for God, even though it occurred without prior marital relations with her betrothed, Joseph. God is able to do anything for His people, including performing wondrous deeds in Mary’s life. Second, the sentence carries a profound meaning that God was with Mary. This means that when God chose Mary and did the impossible at that moment, God would also continue to perform miraculous things to accompany Mary in fulfilling her calling in the future.

Believe that God will never leave His chosen people (Heb. 13:5), as long as we are willing to surrender and say like Mary, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord ... let it be to me according to your word.”