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.”
Luke 1:36-37
Hearing that nothing is impossible with God can sound too good to be true, especially if the weight of impossibility is crushing your shoulders. As mentioned in yesterday’s devotional, Mary was very aware of the impossibility of her situation. She knew what must be overcome for God’s Words to come to fruition.*
While Mary did not ask for confirmation or a sign to believe, God in His mercy supplied some information to help encourage her faith: her relative Elizabeth was impossibly pregnant in her old age.*
Life can feel very impossible some times, and God wants us to hear that it’s not too much for Him. Do you know what else God wants us to hear? The stories of those around us who are living out the impossible by His power. While their stories may be a bit different than ours (Elizabeth was old an old, married woman; Mary was a young, engaged virgin), we worship the same powerful, impossible-working God.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to share your impossible story of God’s goodness in your life to someone who needs to be encouraged. Perhaps today God wants you to ask someone you know about their God story of impossibility. Maybe today God wants you to be encouraged. Perhaps He wants to encourage your faith.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!
*Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke (Lk 1:29–38). InterVarsity Press.
Garland, D. E. (2012). Luke (pp. 82–83). Zondervan.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 49). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, p. 61). Zondervan.
Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke (p. 58). Zondervan Publishing House.
Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke: 1:1–9:50 (Vol. 1, pp. 125–126). Baker Academic.
Nolland, J. (1989). Luke 1:1–9:20 (Vol. 35A, pp. 56–57). Word, Incorporated.