How Can This Happen?
I recently heard a sermon and the message embedded within it seemed appropriate to share. This message involves the encounter between Mary and Gabriel, the angel.
Gabriel greeted Mary, sharing the Lord’s favor with her, and presenting her with great news. She is told how she will give birth to a son and this son will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. And Mary just asks one question: “How?” This is a very practical question. It seems to be a logical thing to ask when given such news. It’s not that she is doubting; she is simply curious how this can happen. Because you see she sees what is current and currently it doesn’t make sense for her to be with child. She has never been with a man. She just met her future husband and quite honestly this may be the first man she has met and nothing has occurred that could make a pregnancy possible. Mary is able to see what is currently true and sees what is in front of her and just wants some clarity in answers.
Pastor Rich focuses on this how question. This is what is so profound. How many times do we read this story? We read it every time at Christmas. Sometimes we read the same stories over and over that we miss the underlying details underneath. This is what happened here. He focuses in on this question that Mary asks and I honestly missed it until presently. The result is that I found this to be so essential and impactful in thinking about new beginnings of the new year of 2018.
Her question isn’t that of distrust and it is not her trying to be her own God. It is her simply diving in to understanding the heart of God. If this is to occur, what is the purpose of it? How can this happen? Most importantly, her question doesn’t stay unanswered. The angel hears her question and answers her almost immediately. “The Holy Spirit will come to you. The power of the Most High God will cover you. So the Holy One that is born will be called the Son of God.” How? It will occur through the power of the Holy Spirit. This will happen because of the Lord. You can't see the future or the entire picture and that's okay. Because luckily for you God is in control over everything that is about to happen.
We ask the same question during the events of our life. We see the current event and we just don't understand and we are a little bit confused on the details. We, like Mary, are asking, "How can this happen?" In so many of our events, our how question turns to how will this turn out? When we can't see the whole picture we begin to ask questions or feel certain doubts.
Maybe we are entering into the the new year with unanswered questions. This past year might have been filled with sorrow and great disappointment. Trust me, I understand because I have my own share of these. We can ask why all day long, but the reality is that we are more curious about the how than the why. Maybe we are entering 2018 with some heartache, disappointment, and some scars but these don't define where we are going. They just mark a chapter in our lives. The great thing about a new year is that we each have a chance at a new start. I am greatly anticipating the embrace of this new start. Because, like you, something new is needed in my life. I am trusting in God who is the Lord over all the "hows" in my life.
"But forget all that -- it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?"Isaiah 43:18-19