You have got to be kidding?
I can imagine that behind the question “How can this be?” we could hear
several different emotions.
1) It is not physically possible? I have not yet “known a man!” How can God do
this? Girls talk to each other. I know what is necessary for me to carry a
child and it has not happened! I can’t
believe this. (Do I hear the music to
the “Twilight Zone?”)
2) Who in the world will believe this? I am supposed to tell everyone I know that I
am having God’s baby? Sure I am going to
be married to Joseph, but I am not yet and believe me people can count! The numbers will not add up! I will be the laughing stock and brunt of all
the whispers in Nazareth ! (I hope the hospital ward will have soft
sheets and pink straight jackets)
3) Oh well, I can handle that but what will
Joseph think. I love him and want to
be married to him and have a family with him.
He will make such a great father.
How can he believe the child I will carry will be the blessing of God
and that I have not been unfaithful to him?
He will have every right to publicly humiliate me and put me aside and I
will be one of the homeless in our town.
(I never did think the Bethlehem
Highway overpass looked inviting and homelike)
4) Why me?
Who am I that the Holy One of Israel would choose me to do this
thing. I am just a meager child. Yes, I have done my best to keep myself pure
and I try to obey all the commandments of Moses but so do many of my
friends. There are people much more
deserving than me. Would it not be
better if God chose one of King Herod’s daughters? Surely they would be able to provide all the
pomp that the Lord of Host would need.
(I have never even won a raffle or door prize at the school parties)
Anyone of these are believable and we would not fault Mary
if she were here today and confessed to having all four. But that is the part of the story that we can
so easily understand because we have given those excuses many times to deflect
the call of God on our lives. But that
is not the end of the story. Mary’s
final word was “(deciding in her heart) Here I am, the Lord’s humble
servant. As you have said, let it be
done to me.” (Luke 1:38 The Voice) To
paraphrase we might say that Mary looked at the angel with eyes of great
determination and resolve and said “bring it on, lets do this thing!”
We admire the faith of the founding fathers, the leadership
and myopic vision of a Moses, the military prowess of a David and the
dedication of a Daniel. But let us not
forget the calm resolve of a Mary who faced the greatest miracle of them
all. God becoming man and the part that
God wanted her to play in it.
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