The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.” Luke 1.35-38
Gabriel visits Zechariah to announce that Elizabeth, who is older (perhaps in her 40s or 50s), will have a child named John. He will be the cousin of Jesus and will prepare the way for the Messiah. Another miracle involves Mary herself—an immaculate conception in which the Holy Spirit will place a child within her without the seed of a man. The Lord Himself will be the Father. No impure human, tainted by original sin, will affect the child. Jesus will be blameless from birth.
Some argue that Mary was also blameless. I’ve heard the argument, but I don’t accept it. God uses imperfect people all the time to accomplish His mission. Mary was a good, righteous, and holy person, but she was not blameless. Nor do I believe she remained a perpetual virgin. Scripture mentions Jesus having brothers and sisters. This says nothing negative about Mary; it only affirms that she was human, not God or a god.
Another miracle was that God used two women, neither expecting to have babies, to both bear sons who would change the world. Some might ask, why only sons? Why not a daughter who impacts society? I think sons were likely better received in that culture, but we can’t forget that God chose two women to deliver these boys to the world. Males and females both matter to God.
Let’s not rest the miracle solely on humanity—it’s astounding that God would use us at all! It might be easy to focus on Mary, Elizabeth, or John, but God Himself was coming into the world in human form, in the flesh, in the person of Jesus. The true miracle is that God cared enough to send Himself, using humanity to deliver divinity to a lost and broken world.
Why would God take the time to save us? Why not just leave us to our sinful, selfish ways? Because it’s in His nature to love, save, offer, and care. He desires to be in relationship with His creation.
So today, as you go about your day, consider the Lord’s desire to make miracles happen just so He can be with us. He brought babies into this world to redeem us, save us, and be in relationship with us. What an honor and privilege. Let’s live today as though this matters—because it does.
“O Lord God, when I am lost, You find me. When I am sick, You heal me. When I am alone and down, You lift me up. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with Your power and love. Help me know the fullness of Your love and the power of Your grace. For You are good, and Your love endures forever. Amen.”