Nothing Is Impossible With G-d

Today's B'rit Chadashah Reading:
Luke 1:26-38; 24:36-53

Today's reading continues our look at G-d's promises and power. In Luke 1:26, an angelic messenger visits Miriam (Mary) and tells her that she will bear a miracle child. This echoes Abraham's visitation by angelic messengers who also gave him news of a miracle child to be born to his wife Sarah. Just as the L-rd commands Abraham concerning his child's name, Isaac (he laughs), the angel tells Miriam to name her child Y'shua (the L-rd saves).

In Luke 1:32-33 we see how the two stories intersect. It is through Miriam's child that G-d's promises to Abraham will be fulfilled:

32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord
God will give Him the throne of His father David;
33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no
end.”*

Miriam is understandably confused and asks how this can be, since she is a virgin. The angel answers that nothing will be impossible with G-d. Just as the L-rd opened the wombs of Sarah and the Shunammite woman in our previous readings, He is able to place a child in the womb of a virgin.

We then fast-forward to a time after Y'shua's death and resurrection, when He appears to His followers. He allays their fear and disbelief by proving to them that He is not a ghost but is indeed risen in His physical body. Luke 24:47 then explains why He came: so that repentance for forgiveness would be proclaimed to all the nations, starting in Jerusalem; just as G-d promised Abraham that all the nations would be blessed through his descendants.

My prayer today is that I would remember that the L-rd always keeps His promises, and that nothing is impossible with G-d.

Next Week: Chayei Sarah: Genesis 23:1-25:18

*New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Lk 1:32–33). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.