Day 1: God With Us

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son.” (Matthew 1:23)

What do you believe or feel was the greatest miracle that ever took place in the life of a human person? Salvation? That’s wonderful, but if the other miracle hadn’t taken place, salvation would never be available.

There is no other miracle that even approaches the conception of Jesus in the womb of virgin Mary. Just consider that God Himself, in the person of Jesus, somehow took His place in the womb of Mary and developed as a perfect human baby. There is not another miracle, in my opinion, that compares with that.

Any person being raised from the dead, any person being healed, miracles of provision, however wonderful, don’t even begin to compare with the miracle of God Himself being incarnated in the womb of a human woman.

God risks a lot

Mary was certainly not more than seventeen years old when that happened, according to the culture of the Jewish people. Just think what God risked! He depended on one Jewish girl, maybe sixteen years old, responding the right way because otherwise salvation could never have come to us. I’m so amazed that God had such confidence in this young Jewish girl that He would stake the whole plan of salvation on her saying yes. And it really also helps me to understand that God risks a lot in you and me.

I want to point out something about Mary in which I think she’s a pattern for all of us, not just for mothers. In Luke chapter 1 the angel appeared to Mary and he said in verse 31:

“‘And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom, there will be no end.’ Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ [I have no physical relationship with any man.] The angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. For with God nothing will be impossible.’”

What the Greek actually says is, “No word of God will be without power.” In other words, every word God speaks contains in it the power for its fulfilment. Now notice the response of Mary in verse 38.

“Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.’”

That simple phrase, “according to your word” released the greatest miracle ever and I want to challenge you with it. Do you realize, when you have God’s Word and its promises, all you have to do is say, “According to your word” ?

Don’t try to think of the greatest that you can do. Don’t spend a lot of time imagining something wonderful that you could pray for. The things that are given to you in the Word of God are much greater and much more wonderful than anything you yourself will ever think of or pray for.