Jesse Tree Devotional for December 22nd

December 22

Believing the Impossible...

Today’s reading: Luke 1:26-38
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

It all did seem impossible: a woman as old as Elizabeth, a young unmarried girl like Mary, a descending Holy Spirit, a baby called the Son of God---who wouldn’t have raised a dubious eyebrow—and then grilled Gabriel with a million questions?

Not Mary. Stunningly, she accepts the wonder of it all, the miracle that the God of the starfields will come as her baby, that nothing---absolutely nothing ---nothing is impossible with God. That kind of staggering, simple faith lets one fall on bended knee and whisper, “Behold, I am the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38)

You are coming—it seems so impossible. And instead of wildly scurrying around, oh, to be as Mary: quietly bending the knee --and opening my heart--in worship—to accept the unfathomable.

Lord, I desire to give you my heart, to let it be as according to Your Word. For with You, nothing--even Your coming--- is impossible. It is just that simple.