The Greater Miracle
“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?””
Luke starts in verses 26-27 in his typical, detailed manner. When, where, and a repeatedly specific who—Mary, the virgin pledged to Joseph in Galilee—the angel Gabriel was to speak to.
Gabriel begins speaking, “you who are highly favored.” Curious but positive. “The Lord is with you.” Much better than against me. But, what’s he leading up to?
Gabriel adds, “Fear not. You’re favored by God.” Again, great, thanks. But where is this going?
Then Gabriel shatters all expectations, “You’re having a baby. Jesus.” That name means Jehovah saves. Followed by a list of five other overwhelming descriptions of the baby who would be: King over everyone, forever.
Mary knew who she was. Mary knew what she had done. And contrary to rumors that would follow then and conspiracies through the ages following, Mary knew what she hadn’t done. Mary knew naturally and rationally there was no way she could have a child. So she asks. And we wonder if her thoughts went like this.
“Pardon me, Mister Angel Gabriel, Sir. It’s amazing all the things you say my child will be. King of our people. King forever. Savior. I am overwhelmed to be the mother of such a child. But, Sir, I’m a virgin. How can I have a baby?”
God describes Mary’s son with six unmistakable terms, yet she knows none of these possibilities can become reality without the first step. The first hurdle. The first obstacle. The first reality. The first, supernatural act. The miraculous conception.
Did Mary lack faith? I doubt it. Verse 38 buries that question.
Did Mary doubt? I think it was faith seeking understanding.
Mary just needed to know how the first step was going to be accomplished. If she was to remain a virgin, if it were to be a miracle, then how would it happen?
Gabriel offers that understanding in verse 35. He adds another miracle to validate his word with the pregnancy of her cousin Elizabeth in verse 36.
Finally, Gabriel reminds us all as recorded in Luke 1:37, “For no word from God will ever fail.”
If God says so, He makes it so.
If God promises, He provides.
Which was the greater miracle? A virgin conceiving a child? Or Mary’s faith believing God would do just that?
Sometimes the greater miracle is accepting that God can.
Sometimes the greater miracle is the faith to trust the first step.